Italian Premier Meloni Seeks to Trademark Her Voice Amid AI Deepfake Concerns
Meloni's application with the EU intellectual property office aims to protect against AI-generated replicas, following similar moves by celebrities and a recent legal precedent in Japan.
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni has filed an application to trademark her voice with the European Union's Intellectual Property Office, seeking to establish legal protection against the proliferation of artificial intelligence-generated deepfakes.
The filing includes a four-second audio recording of Meloni reciting, in Italian, "Io sono Giorgia Meloni" (“I am Giorgia Meloni”). The application was confirmed by an Italian official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The move was first reported by the Italian daily La Repubblica.
Meloni's action occurs as governments, regulators, and public figures worldwide confront the rapid advancement of AI tools capable of convincingly replicating voices and images. Manipulated images of Meloni have circulated online in recent years, sometimes presented as authentic.
The recorded phrase echoes a well-known declaration Meloni made at a 2019 political rally: "I am Giorgia, I am a woman, I am a mother, I am Italian, I am Christian." This slogan gained significant recognition in Italy and was later the title of her 2021 autobiography.
Meloni has previously expressed concern over the potential harm of deepfakes, stating in May that they can "deceive, manipulate and harm anyone," urging users to verify online content before sharing.
Governments and individuals are increasingly seeking ways to combat AI-driven impersonation. Pop star Taylor Swift became a prominent target earlier in 2024 when sexually explicit AI-generated images falsely depicting her circulated widely, intensifying calls for stronger legal protections. Actor Matthew McConaughey has utilized trademark registrations for voice and motion elements as a protective measure. Scarlett Johansson also raised objections to an OpenAI chatbot voice that she contended sounded "eerily similar" to her own, leading OpenAI to withdraw the feature.
In Japan, a court recently granted legal protection to the human voice in a case involving an anime voice actor whose AI-generated voice clone was used without authorization on TikTok. The court awarded the actor legal protection, marking a significant legal precedent.
While Italian media has reported that the trademark approval for Meloni's voice may not automatically prevent AI-generated imitations, it could provide an additional legal recourse against unauthorized use. Meloni is also involved in a separate legal case initiated in 2024 against an individual accused of creating and distributing deepfake pornographic images using her likeness, which is currently pending before an Italian court.