Taylor Swift is stepping up the legal war on AI copycats
TL;DR
Taylor Swift has been at the center of AI imitation controversies for years, and now, she's become the latest celebrity who's escalating attempts to protect herself from AI copycats.
Key Points
- As usual, however, the legal system intersects with technology in complicated ways - and Swift's efforts may be a long shot.
- In trademark applications filed last week, Swift's team asked for protection for two phrases spoken by the singer: Hey, it's Taylor Swift and Hey, it's Taylor.
- The trademark applications, filed by TAS Rights Management on behalf of Swift, include audio clips of Swift saying the two phrases as part of a promotion for her latest album.
Nauti's Take
Nauti finds Swift's move interesting: when an A-lister files trademarks on catchphrases, precedents emerge that can later help smaller creators defend against AI voice clones — a meaningful step in deepfake protection. The limit: trademark law was not built for voices, and 'Hey, it's Taylor' as a protected phrase will be hard to enforce in court.
Creators should follow this closely but not overestimate what trademark filings actually deliver.
Sources