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Hollywood star Matthew McConaughey has trademarked himself in an effort to combat AI-generated copycats.
The American actor, who won an Oscar for his role in Dallas Buyers Club, has secured approval for eight trademark applications relating to his voice and likeness – including audio of Mr McConaughey saying “all right, all right, all right”, a celebrated line from Dazed and Confused, his 1993 debut.
The expression has become a catchphrase for the actor who has repeated it in numerous interviews, during awards acceptance speeches and on chat shows.
Other trademarks include a seven-second clip of Mr McConaughey standing on a terrace speaking and gesturing and a three-second clip of him sitting in front of a Christmas tree.
Lawyers for the 56-year-old actor said the trademarks, which were filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office, were designed to prevent apps and individuals from using AI to simulate his voice or likeness without permission.
Mr McConaughey told the Wall Street Journal, which first reported the move: “My team and I want to know that when my voice or likeness is ever used, it’s because I approved and signed off on it.
“We want to create a clear perimeter around ownership with consent and attribution the norm in an AI world.”
Celebrities from Oprah Winfrey to Piers Morgan have fallen victim to so-called “deepfake” images, video and audio created with AI.
The counterfeit material is often used for financial scams or fake celebrity endorsements. In more sinister instances it has been used to create fake explicit or pornographic images of stars.
Explicit deepfakes of Taylor Swift released in 2024 sparked a backlash from US politicians. Elon Musk’s AI chatbot, Grok, has come under pressure after it was used to create and share images of women and children wearing bikinis or in sexual poses.
The British Government this week said it will fast-track new laws criminalising the creation of sexual deepfakes under the Online Safety Act. In the US, new laws allowing victims of non-consensual deepfakes to sue producers and distributors passed the Senate this week.
While some celebrities have secured trademarks for their catchphrases, such as Lizzo’s “100% that b—h”, Mr McConaughey is thought to be the first to secure a broad trademark of himself.
US law allows companies and individuals to make trademark claims even if the image has not been registered with the US Patent and Trademark Office. However, lawyers for Mr McConaughey hope that securing the trademark will deter misuse and bolster the actor’s legal position.
While Mr McConaughey is taking a defensive stance against the misuse of AI, he is not opposed to the use of the technology.
The actor is an investor in AI audio software ElevenLabs and has signed a deal with the company to develop a Spanish-language version of his newsletter, Lyrics of Livin’.