Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has applied to trademark her voice, seeking protection from unauthorised use in AI deepfakes. Her office confirmed the application to the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), which was filed on Monday.
As part of the application, Meloni recorded a four-second audio clip saying “Io sono Giorgia” (“I am Giorgia”) twice. The phrase was also the title of her 2021 autobiography and is associated with her political campaigns.
Other public figures have sought similar protections. In January, US actor Matthew McConaughey trademarked his image and voice. In April, singer Taylor Swift submitted three US trademark applications: one used a photograph of her on stage during her Eras Tour, while two used audio clips of her introducing herself as she promoted her latest album.
In August, more than 80 performers called on British Prime Minister Andy Burnham to introduce legislation giving everyone in the UK a legal right to own their voice. Actors Matt Lucas, Hugh Bonneville and Nicola Coughlan were among them.
Voice clones are made by training AI on recordings of real people. Quick versions can be created from a few seconds of audio, while high-quality copies tend to require hours. In 2024, Meloni sought €100,000 (£84,920) in damages after deepfake porn videos of her were uploaded online. In May this year, she warned that deepfakes can deceive and manipulate, and said they can affect anyone.
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