Legendary American singer Lionel Richie has filed applications to trademark the sound of his voice in a move that reflects growing efforts by celebrities to protect their identities from the rising threat of artificial intelligence (AI)-generated deepfakes.
The four-time Grammy Award winner submitted four trademark applications to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), seeking protection for audio recordings of him delivering some of his most iconic phrases, Telegraph UK reported.
The phrases include “Hello, is it me you’re looking for?”, “Say You, Say Me,” “Easy Like Sunday Morning,” and “All Night Long.”
What they are saying
According to the filings, the applications were submitted by RichLion Holdings LLC, an entity associated with Richie.
- The move comes as artists, entertainers, and public figures increasingly seek stronger legal protections against AI systems capable of replicating voices, images, and likenesses with remarkable accuracy.
- Intellectual property attorney Josh Gerben of Gerben IP, who first identified the filings, noted that the applications were submitted on an “intent-to-use” basis, meaning the phrases are not yet being used commercially as trademarks.
- According to Gerben, the filings are less about protecting song lyrics and more about establishing new legal mechanisms that could help celebrities safeguard their voices in the AI era.
Trademark law allows certain sounds to be registered if they function as source identifiers, meaning consumers associate them with a specific brand, service, or individual. One well-known example is Netflix’s signature “tu-dum” sound, which has trademark protection.
However, reports say Richie’s applications may face hurdles because the USPTO will require evidence that the voice recordings function as trademarks rather than simply famous song lyrics.
- “If successful, these filings could become an important test case for how trademark law adapts to the AI era,” Gerben said.
Background
In the United States, a person’s name, likeness, and voice are traditionally protected under state-level right-of-publicity laws.
- To address the gap, lawmakers have reintroduced the NO FAKES Act in Congress. The proposed legislation would create a federal intellectual property right covering a person’s voice and likeness, offering broader protection against unauthorized AI-generated replicas.
- In 2023, an AI-generated song imitating the voices of Drake and The Weeknd amassed more than 250,000 Spotify streams before being removed from digital platforms.
More recently, Sony Music disclosed that it had requested the removal of over 135,000 AI-generated tracks that allegedly impersonated artists on its roster.
What you should know
Richie is not alone in pursuing this strategy. In April, global pop star Taylor Swift filed trademark applications covering recordings of her voice saying “Hey, it’s Taylor” and “Hey, it’s Taylor Swift,” alongside efforts to protect her likeness.
- Actor Matthew McConaughey had also sought trademark protection for his famous line, “Alright, alright, alright,” while television host Jimmy Kimmel has reportedly filed similar applications this year.
- In October 2023, actor Tom Hanks warned his followers on Instagram after discovering an advertisement promoting dental plans that featured a deepfake version of himself. The Oscar-winning actor publicly distanced himself from the advert, stating that he had “nothing to do with it.”
Similarly, popular YouTuber Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, became the target of an AI-generated scam advertisement that circulated on TikTok. The manipulated video falsely portrayed him offering iPhones for as little as $2, misleading viewers into believing the promotion was genuine.
