Taylor Swift wants to trademark her voice and image. What will it mean for AI?
Taylor Swift has filed to trademark her voice and image, seeking legal protection against AI-generated deepfakes. The move follows a series of nonconsensual AI-generated images and videos of her that went viral in recent years. It places her among a growing number of celebrities taking legal steps to safeguard their digital likeness. The filings could set a precedent for how intellectual property and identity rights are enforced in the age of artificial intelligence.
- ▪Taylor Swift filed applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to trademark two audio clips and an onstage image.
- ▪The trademark applications aim to protect her voice and image from unauthorized use in AI-generated deepfakes.
- ▪Swift has been targeted by viral AI-generated sexualized images and impersonating chatbots in recent years.
- ▪Actor Matthew McConaughey made a similar move earlier in 2026 to protect his own likeness.
- ▪The case highlights broader legal and ethical challenges around AI, consent, and celebrity rights.
Full article excerpt tap to expand
Home > Tech > Tech Industry Taylor Swift wants to trademark her voice and image. What will it mean for AI? A major move. By Shannon Connellan Shannon Connellan Senior Editor Shannon Connellan is Mashable's Senior Editor, General Assignments, based in London. She has been Mashable's UK Editor (and still manages the illustrious UK team) and Australia Editor, but emotionally, she lives searching for Exit 8. A Tomatometer-approved critic, Shannon writes about entertainment, tech, social good, science, culture, and Australian horror, and loves to nerd out with movie stars, filmmakers, and TV creators. Read Full Bio on April 28, 2026 Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Flipboard Credit: Andre Dias Nobre / AFP via Getty Images Taylor Swift has reportedly filed to trademark her voice and image, in a move that could give her legal standing against AI deepfakes.According to Reuters, the pop superstar submitted applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Friday, for two audio files — "Hey, it’s Taylor Swift," and "Hey, it’s Taylor" — and an image of Swift onstage. The trademark owner is reportedly listed as Swift's TAS Rights Management. Hollywood star Matthew McConoughey made a similar move in January. SEE ALSO: How to identify AI-generated videos online It's a landmark moment of potential empowerment for Swift, who has been plagued with AI-generated deepfake videos and images over the last few years. In Jan. 2024, sexualised AI-generated images of Swift went viral on X, prompting hundreds of millions of views and fan outrage. In Aug. 2025, unauthorised chatbots on Meta impersonated Swift and other celebrities making sexual advances.The filing could also have political repercussions. In Aug. 2024, Donald Trump posted a deepfake on social media falsely suggesting that Swift and her fans backed the Republican presidential nominee. Mashable Light Speed Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories? Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter. Loading... Sign Me Up Use this instead By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up! Featured Video For You (() => { window.videoEmbeds = window.videoEmbeds || []; let data = {"slug":"05FiUvyAObJtG73rNUQM9rN","url":"https:\/\/cdn.ex.co\/transformations-account\/production\/a0be6317-e085-43f9-8cb5-7b125d25af4b\/0bbfdb97-ec38-4d60-81e1-fabf81d28e23\/master.m3u8","transcoded_urls":["https:\/\/cdn.ex.co\/transformations-account\/production\/a0be6317-e085-43f9-8cb5-7b125d25af4b\/0bbfdb97-ec38-4d60-81e1-fabf81d28e23\/1080p.mp4","https:\/\/cdn.ex.co\/transformations-account\/production\/a0be6317-e085-43f9-8cb5-7b125d25af4b\/0bbfdb97-ec38-4d60-81e1-fabf81d28e23\/720p.mp4","https:\/\/cdn.ex.co\/transformations-account\/production\/a0be6317-e085-43f9-8cb5-7b125d25af4b\/0bbfdb97-ec38-4d60-81e1-fabf81d28e23\/540p.mp4","https:\/\/cdn.ex.co\/transformations-account\/production\/a0be6317-e085-43f9-8cb5-7b125d25af4b\/0bbfdb97-ec38-4d60-81e1-fabf81d28e23\/360p.mp4","https:\/\/cdn.ex.co\/transformations-account\/production\/a0be6317-e085-43f9-8cb5-7b125d25af4b\/0bbfdb97-ec38-4d60-81e1-fabf81d28e23\/270p.mp4"],"title":"Is U.S. TikTok censoring its…
This excerpt is published under fair use for community discussion. Read the full article at Mashable.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from Mashable
