Italy's Prime Minister Georgia Meloni has filed a trademark application to protect her voice from misuse. They have taken this step to protect against the threat of AI deepfakes. Meloni has filed this application in the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). Along with the application, Meloni also submitted an audio recording of approximately 4 seconds. In this she says twice in Italian – 'Lo sono Giorgia', which means 'I am Giorgia Meloni'.
Meloni's autobiography, published in 2021, was also titled 'Lo Sono Giorgia'. This phrase is also related to his political campaign. Meloni is the first leader in the world to trademark her voice.
How does AI imitate voice?
- The AI is given a recording of a person's real voice. It learns their speaking patterns, intonation and intonation.
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AI can use this information to create a new recording that sounds like the person's voice, even if the person never actually said it.
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A few seconds of recording may be enough to imitate a sound. However, to produce a more clear and realistic sound, more recording is required.
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Such technology can be misused to create fake statements in the voice of a leader, artist or common man and broadcast them as if they were genuine.
- Many artists have already taken this step
With the increasing use of AI, voice has also become a part of digital identity. Artists are looking for legal ways to save it. Meloni isn't the first celebrity to trademark her voice. Many artists around the world have already tried to get legal protection for the rights related to their voice, name and identity. In January, American actor Matthew McConaughey applied to trademark his image and voice.
In August, more than 80 artists appealed to then-British Prime Minister Andy Burnham to enact a law that would give people the legal right to use their voices.
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