Taylor Swift files trademark applications to protect against AI misuse
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · May 8
Taylor Swift files trademark applications to protect against AI misuse
5 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · May 8
The filings, submitted last month to the US Patent and Trademark Office, total three applications and mirror Matthew McConaughey's earlier registrations of videos, audio and images.
Lawyers say such trademarks could deter unauthorised AI imitations in commercial settings, though legal experts remain unsure they would survive court challenges or outperform publicity, fraud and right-of-publicity claims.
The move follows deepfake misuse involving Swift and others, while SAG-AFTRA backs the stalled No FAKES Act; experts say trademark protection is unlikely to help most non-public figures.
As celebrities trademark their identities, what legal recourse do ordinary people have against deepfake misuse?
Beyond trademarks, is the law ready to define the ownership of a human's digital self?
With some stars selling their AI clones, are we creating a new market for digital identity?