Taylor Swift trademarks voice, image as protection from AI
MANILA, Philippines – Taylor Swift filed to trademark her voice and image amid the rising AI trend, according to a post by Gerben IP.
Gerben IP is a law firm based in the United States, known for their trademarks. The blog on Gerben IP’s website indicates Swift trademarking phrases “Hey, it’s Tarylor Swift,” and “Hey, it’s Taylor”.
The form of trademark used by Swift is known as a “sound mark,” wherein a specified sound is protected. Swift also filed to trademark one image, specifically her performance outfit that features her signature pink guitar.
Growing trend to protect from AI
Taylor Swift joins Matthew McConaughey in the list of celebrities to trademark their voice or likeness.
In a span of months, scrolling through social media has bombarded users with AI narrations, videos, music, and even performances.
“By registering specific phrases tied to her voice, Swift could potentially challenge not only identical reproductions, but also imitations that are “confusingly similar,” a key standard in trademark law,” writes Gerben in his blog.
In January, McConaughey trademarked his voice and image, including the famous catchphrases, such as his “alright, alright, alright.” McConaughey was the first celebrity to do so in the wake of AI-doctored videos.
Besides celebrities moving to protect their likeness, YouTube has also taken an initiative to remove deepfakes from its platform.
In a post on April 21, YouTube announced its likeness detection tool to the entertainment industry.
“With support from leading talent agencies and management companies, including CAA, UTA, WME, and Untitled Management, we’ve worked to refine how likeness detection can best serve talent.” the blog said.
“We’re excited that celebrities and entertainers are now eligible to access this tool, regardless of whether they have a YouTube channel.”
With the AI trend still on a steady rise, the trend for more protective measures and security will need to update.
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