Taylor Swift applies for audio and image trademarks to prevent the spread of AI impersonation content

According to a report by BBC on April 28, American pop singer Taylor Swift has filed three trademark applications in the United States, covering sound audio snippets and stage images, with the aim of protecting her voice and appearance from AI impersonation. Trademark lawyer Josh Gerben first disclosed the details of the above applications on his blog.

Details of the Three Trademark Applications

According to the trademark application documents disclosed by Josh Gerben on his blog, the three applications filed by Taylor Swift are as follows:

Image trademark: Using a stage photo from the Eras Tour concert as the basis for the application; the image shows her holding a pink guitar (with a black strap), wearing a multicolored rainbow bodysuit, and wearing silver boots. The photo had previously been used as one of the official promotional images for the Disney+ film Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour.

Audio trademark 1: An audio snippet in which Taylor Swift says “Hey, I’m Taylor”

Audio trademark 2: An audio snippet in which Taylor Swift says “Hey, I’m Taylor Swift”

According to the BBC report, the source of the above two audio clips was recorded by Taylor Swift last autumn for promotional purposes for the album The Tortured Poets Department for Spotify and Amazon Music.

Legal Protection Scope: Trademark Lawyer Josh Gerben’s Analysis

According to the BBC report citing Josh Gerben’s analysis, even if the original photos and audio clips are not directly copied, the registered trademark can still give Taylor Swift broader legal tools to stop AI from using her images and voice.

Josh Gerben said in his blog: “By registering specific phrases related to her voice, Swift can not only challenge copies that are completely identical, but can also challenge impersonations that are ‘confusingly similar,’ which is a key standard in trademark law.”

Josh Gerben further pointed out that, if a lawsuit is brought against AI for using Taylor Swift’s voice, any voice usage that sounds similar to the registered trademark could constitute a trademark infringement claim; the image trademark also applies the same logic—AI-generated similar stage images could trigger federal trademark protection mechanisms.

Background: Celebrity Trademark Strategy to Counter AI Impersonation

According to the BBC report, in recent years, AI-generated impersonation content of Taylor Swift has appeared in multiple forms, including explicit images and fake advertisements falsely claiming that she endorsed specific candidates in an election. The BBC report also pointed out that actor Matthew McConaughey became the first celebrity to use trademark applications to protect voices and images from AI abuse earlier in 2026; Taylor Swift’s application is one of the latest cases of celebrities adopting a trademark strategy to address the problem of AI impersonation, and the BBC noted that this is a relatively new approach among celebrities.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Taylor Swift’s trademark application cover? Which source disclosed it?

According to the BBC report on April 28, 2026, Taylor Swift filed three trademark applications in the United States, covering one Eras Tour stage image and two audio snippets (“Hey, I’m Taylor” and “Hey, I’m Taylor Swift”); trademark lawyer Josh Gerben first disclosed the application details on his blog.

How do trademark applications legally protect celebrities from AI impersonation?

According to the BBC report citing Josh Gerben’s analysis, in addition to protecting completely identical copies, registered trademarks can also be used to challenge AI-generated similar impersonation content under the trademark law standard of “confusingly similar,” providing the trademark holder with a legal basis to assert infringement at the federal level.

Before Taylor Swift, which celebrity adopted the same trademark protection strategy?

According to the BBC report, actor Matthew McConaughey became the first celebrity to use trademark applications to protect voices and images from AI abuse earlier in 2026.