Taylor Swift Files Image and Sound Trademarks as AI Use Grows

Taylor Swift has filed trademark applications pertaining to her voice and image as concerns grow in the music world over the rise of AI.

As per Rolling Stone, the pop superstar's company, TAS Rights Management, filed three applications last Friday (April 24th) with the US Patent & Trademark Office.

One is an image of Swift performing during her 'Eras Tour', and the other two are sound trademarks of the phrases “Hey, it’s Taylor Swift” and “Hey, it’s Taylor.” (The applications were first noted by intellectual property attorney Josh Gerben.)

Swift isn't the first notable name to make this trademark move.

She follows Hollywood actor Matthew McConaughey, who filed eight similar trademarks over the past several months to protect his famous Texan drawl and image. McConaughey’s attorneys submitted applications of the Oscar winner saying his famous line “alright, alright, alright!” from the 1993 Richard Linklater comedy film Dazed and Confused, and staring into the camera.

In many US states, celebrities receive protections under “Right of Publicity” laws, which prevent unauthorised uses of their name or likeness.

As one of the biggest music stars in the world, Swift has already had to be concerned about unsavoury uses of AI.

Back in 2024, Twitter/X temporarily blocked users from searching Swift's name on the platform after AI-generated explicit images depicting the singer-songwriter began circulating.

In the same year, US President Donald Trump shared AI-generated images that suggested Swift backed his campaign in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election, a move which prompted Swift to publicly address the use of her image without her consent.

“It really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation,” she wrote on Instagram as she endorsed Trump's rival Kamala Harris for the presidency. “It brought me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter. The simplest way to combat misinformation is with the truth.”