NEW YORK (AP) — Taylor Swift filed three new trademark applications with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, a move one legal expert theorizes it is to protect her voice and image from potential misuse through artificial intelligence.
Two of the applications filed Friday are sound trademarks covering her voice, one of her saying “Hey, it’s Taylor Swift,” and the other is “Hey, it’s Taylor.”
The third application is for a visual trademark, described in the filing as “a photograph of Taylor Swift holding a pink guitar, with a black strap and wearing a multicolored iridescent bodysuit with silver boots. She is standing on a pink stage in front of a multicolored microphone with purple lights in the background.”
The filings were made on behalf on Swift’s TAS Rights Management. All three have been approved and are currently awaiting assignment to an examining attorney.
The Associated Press has reached out to a representative for Swift as well as Rebecca Liebowitz, partner at law firm Venable, who is listed as the attorney on the filings. Requests for comment were not immediately returned.
News of Swift's new trademark filings made the rounds on Monday after first being noticed by intellectual property attorney Josh Gerben. In a blog post shared Monday, Gerben theorized that the trademarks are “specifically designed to protect Taylor from threats posed by artificial intelligence,” in response to growing concerns that AI could challenge celebrities' abilities to control their voices and likenesses without their consent.
In his post, Gerben explained that “Right of Publicity” laws — which protect celebrities from having their images or likenesses used to sell products without their permission — offer some protection against unauthorized use of a celebrity's likeness, but trademark filings like Swift's can offer additional protection.
Swift has been a target of AI misuse in the past. Pornographic deepfake images of her have circulated online, making the singer the most famous victim of a scourge that tech platforms and antiabuse groups have struggled to fix. In another instance, the superstar was shown in a fake endorsement of President Donald Trump during his 2024 campaign, which the then-candidate reposted and shared as genuine.
“The Life of a Showgirl” singer is not the only celebrity to pursue these kinds of trademarks. In January, attorneys for actor Matthew McConaughey secured eight trademarks from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office including a sound trademark of his catchphrase “Alright, alright, alright.”
Attorneys for the entertainment law firm Yorn Levine, which represented McConaughey, told Variety the trademarks were filed in an attempt to protect his voice and likeness from unauthorized use by AI, and to protect him in developing new opportunities using AI.
Last year, McConaughey made a deal with voice-cloning company ElevenLabs that will allow its artificial intelligence technology to replicate his voice.
FILE - Taylor Swift performs during "The Eras Tour" at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Aug. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)
FILE - Taylor Swift appears at the MTV Video Music Awards in Elmont, N.Y., on Sept. 11, 2024. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump and King Charles III greeted each other warmly on Tuesday as the monarch began a day of diplomacy in Washington designed to emphasize a bond between the United Kingdom and the United States that is so strong it can withstand the political turmoil of the moment.
Under gray, drizzly skies, Trump welcomed Charles and Queen Camilla to the White House in a ceremony on the South Lawn, with the president quipping that it was a “beautiful British day.” The king shook hands with members of Trump's Cabinet and joined the president for a rendition of the national anthem.
The royal visit comes at a challenging moment for U.S.-U.K. relations but is intended as a celebration of America's 250th anniversary of independence from Britain. In his welcome remarks, Trump highlighted the shared history between the two countries and sought to draw a line from King John's sealing of the Magna Carta in 1215 to the American Revolution.
“American patriots today can sing, ‘My country, ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty,’ only because our colonial ancestors first sang, ‘God save the King,’” Trump said.
The two leaders planned to huddle in the Oval Office for a meeting that was closed to the public, reducing the potential for the freewheeling, sometimes controversial meetings with foreign officials that have become routine during Trump’s second term.
Charles will later address the U.S. Congress, only the second monarch to do so. His mother, Queen Elizabeth II, delivered a similar speech in 1991 highlighting the historic ties between both countries and the importance of their democratic values, themes Charles will likely reinforce on Tuesday. Such addresses are an opportunity afforded to only the most prominent world leaders, including Pope Francis, Václav Havel and Winston Churchill.
The congressional speech will likely mark the most expensive public remarks Charles will deliver during his four-day visit to the U.S. He's expected to address the Saturday shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in a sign of solidarity and support.
He will also acknowledge tensions that have surfaced between Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, noting that the two countries have not always agreed but have always found ways to come together.
Trump’s up-and-down relationship with Starmer has taken a particularly sour turn over the past several months as the Republican president has sought to rally international support for the war in Iran. Trump criticized Starmer, who has largely resisted his overtures, by saying “this is not Winston Churchill that we're dealing with.”
Trump has also imposed tariffs on the U.K. and warned of additional levies despite a Supreme Court ruling earlier this year that has made such unilateral moves more challenging. Trump threatened just last week to slap a “big tariff” on the U.K. if it doesn't scrap a digital services tax on U.S. technology companies.
Trump has more broadly challenged the traditional trans-Atlantic alliance with efforts to annex Greenland and threats to walk away from NATO. He has repeatedly imposed tariffs on and taunted Canada, a member of the British Commonwealth.
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York blamed Republican policies on Monday for straining the U.S.-U.K. relationship.
“Hopefully, the king’s visit is going to go a long way toward repairing the damage that this administration has done to one of our most important allies in the world,” Jeffries said.
Meanwhile, Charles has faced some calls on Capitol Hill to meet with victims of Jeffrey Epstein while he is in the U.S. There's no indication that he will do so even as the scandal involving the convicted sex offender has ensnared his brother, who was arrested in February over misconduct allegations, which he denies.
Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat who has been a leader of the push on Capitol Hill for a reckoning over Epstein, said he was told by the British ambassador to the U.S. that there would be an acknowledgment of the survivors during the congressional address.
Charles and Camilla arrived at the nation's capital on Monday and held a tea with the president and first lady Melania Trump. The royal couple will continue their U.S. trip later this week with stops in New York City and Virginia.
Associated Press writers Stephen Groves in Washington and Danica Kirka in London contributed to this report.
Britain's King Charles III listens as President Donald Trump speaks during a State Visit arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday, April 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, Britain's King Charles III and Queen Camilla wave from the Blue Room Balcony during a State Visit arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday, April 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump, center left, speaks with Britain's King Charles III along with first lady Melania Trump, left, and Queen Camilla during a State Visit arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday, April 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Queen Camilla, King Charles III, President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump attend an arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday, April 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
President Donald Trump and Britain's King Charles III, stand together during a State Visit arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday, April 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Britain's King Charles III talks President Donald Trump during a State Visit arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday, April 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, Britain's King Charles III and Queen Camilla stand on the Blue room Balcony during a State Visit arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday, April 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump, Britain's King Charles III, first lady Melania Trump and stand on stage during a State Visit arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday, April 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump greet Britain's King Charles III and Queen Camilla during a State Visit arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday, April 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
President Donald Trump, from left, King Charles III, first lady Melania Trump and Queen Camilla stand for the national anthems of their respective countries during an arrival ceremony among others on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday, April 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
President Donald Trump and Britain's King Charles III are seated on stage during a State Visit arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday, April 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Staff members prepare the South Lawn before President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump welcome Britain's King Charles III and Queen Camilla during a State Visit arrival ceremony at White House, Tuesday, April 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
President Donald Trump and Britain's King Charles III turn to walk into the White House, Monday, April 27, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump greet King Charles III and Queen Camilla as they arrive at the White House, Monday, April 27, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon).
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump along with Britain's King Charles III and Queen Camilla walk on the South Lawn to visit the White House garden and bee hive at the White House, Monday, April 27, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, Pool)
President Donald Trump and Britain's King Charles III talk at the White House, Monday, April 27, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon).
House Speaker Mike Johnson of La., talks with Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and her husband Paul before Britain's King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrive at a garden party at the British Embassy, Monday, April 27, 2026, in Washington. (Roberto Schmidt/Pool via AP)
Britain's King Charles III talks with White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller during a garden party at the British Embassy, Monday, April 27, 2026, in Washington. (Roberto Schmidt/Pool via AP)
Britain's King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrive at a garden party at the British Embassy, Monday, April 27, 2026, in Washington. (Roberto Schmidt/Pool via AP)
