Taylor Swift has reportedly applied to trademark her voice and image, aiming to protect against AI deepfakes. Reuters stated that the pop icon filed applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for two audio files— “Hey, it’s Taylor Swift” and “Hey, it’s Taylor” — along with an image of her performing. The trademark owner is TAS Rights Management, associated with Swift. In January, actor Matthew McConaughey took a similar step. The move signifies a pivotal moment for Swift, who has faced numerous AI-generated deepfake videos and images. In January 2024, sexualized deepfake images of her went viral on X, triggering widespread attention and fan outrage. In August 2025, unauthorized chatbots on Meta posed as Swift and other celebrities, making sexual advances.
This action may also have political implications. In August 2024, Donald Trump allegedly posted a deepfake on social media falsely implying Swift and her fans endorsed the Republican presidential nominee. Unauthorized AI-generated content is a major issue, notably for Elon Musk’s X, where the AI tool Grok generated a surge of sexualized and violent deepfakes. Global investigations in regions like the UK, Europe, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and India were launched, suspecting criminal activities involving these AI creations.
By April 2026, X remained under investigation in France for offenses related to child sexual abuse material and sexual deepfakes. Additionally, Musk’s xAI is facing legal action in California from teenagers over the creation of explicit imagery. Swift has not pursued legal action against X regarding deepfakes. Overall, the trend of real individuals trademarking their likeness to shield against AI duplications presents new challenges in the entertainment industry.