US singer Taylor Swift has filed applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to trademark her voice, citing concerns over artificial intelligence-generated content.
Swift has submitted two sound recordings to the USPTO. Both begin with the phrase “Hey, it’s Taylor” and promote the release of her latest album, 'The Life of a Showgirl,' which debuted in early October.
She also provided a photograph of herself performing on stage to accompany the applications, as reported by intellectual property attorney Josh Gerben.
No further details about the trademark filings were disclosed.
Swift’s publicist did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
In September 2024, Taylor Swift criticised the use of a fake image of her on Donald Trump’s campaign website, which falsely depicted her endorsing the billionaire Republican.
This heightened her concerns about AI and the dangers of disinformation, Swift wrote on Instagram at the time.
Recent advances in artificial intelligence mean a voice can now be synthesised in seconds using short clips, whereas years ago, creating such replicas required extensive recordings and days of processing.
Many artists have since expressed fears over the unauthorised use of their image and voice by AI platforms.
While several U.S. states have enacted laws to regulate this, most focus on malicious or commercial misuse. Only a few, including Tennessee’s ELVIS Act passed in 2024, provide broader protections.
