Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni applies to trademark her voice with the European Union’s intellectual property office, according to multiple reports. The move is described as an effort to strengthen protections against AI-generated voice deepfakes that could be used to misrepresent her.
The outlets note that Meloni is not the first public figure to pursue voice-related rights, with comparisons made to earlier efforts by pop artists and celebrities. However, at least one report cautions that even if the trademark is approved, it does not automatically stop AI systems from generating deepfake voices. Instead, it may add legal complexity for people who replicate her voice, creating clearer grounds for enforcement.
While the overall focus is the attempt to improve legal recourse, the sources differ mainly in emphasis—some highlight Meloni as potentially the first major politician to take such a step, while others stress the limits of what a trademark can do. Overall, the reported application frames the issue as a response to growing concerns about misuse of AI audio technology.
