Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni applied to the European Union Intellectual Property Office on Monday to trademark her voice, a move aimed at protecting herself from artificial intelligence deepfakes. The application, now listed on the EUIPO website, includes a four‑second audio clip in which Meloni says “Io sono Giorgia” – “I am Giorgia Meloni” – twice.
Meloni is not the first public figure to seek legal protection for her voice. In January, U.S. actor Matthew McConaughey trademarked his image and voice, while singer Taylor Swift filed three U.S. trademarks in April, including audio clips of her introducing herself.
In August, more than 80 performers urged British Prime Minister Andy Burnham to legislate a legal right for every person to own their voice, citing concerns over AI‑generated voice clones. Voice‑cloning technology can produce quick copies from a few seconds of audio, though high‑quality replicas typically require hours of training data.
Meloni’s decision comes ahead of Italy’s general elections next year and follows her 2024 lawsuit seeking €100,000 in damages after deepfake porn videos of her surfaced online. She has warned that AI‑generated images of her in lingerie were circulating in May, underscoring the broader danger of deepfakes to public figures and ordinary people alike.
In a social media post, Meloni stated, “The point, however, goes beyond me. Deepfakes are a dangerous tool because they can deceive, manipulate, and strike anyone. I can defend myself. Many others cannot.”
Observers note that the trademark, while symbolic, may offer limited practical enforcement against AI‑generated content, but it signals a growing trend among leaders to assert control over their digital identities.
