Matthew McConaughey Using Trademarks to Fight AI Fakes

In a sign of the times, the actor (and no doubt many other celebs) believe they have a powerful tool to stop AI misuse in its tracks.

Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey has trademarked his image and voice, including his famous catchphrase: “All right, all right, all right” from the 1993 movie Dazed and Confused in an attempt to forestall unauthorised use by artificial intelligence. In a statement the actor said: “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.”

This issue has become a key concern in the entertainment industry, but the good news is that by trademarking images and attributes, celebrities will have the weaponry to, perhaps, stop fakery - but certainly to fight back. The Wall Street Journal reports that McConaughey has had eight separate applications approved by the US Patent and Trademark Office in recent weeks.

According to a report in The Guardian, McConaughey’s legal team say they do not have any specific complaints connected to the actor, but are aiming to establish more general protection. One of McConaughey’s lawyers, said: “In a world where we’re watching everybody scramble to figure out what to do about AI misuse, we have a tool now to stop someone in their tracks or take them to federal court.”

Matthew McConaughey won the Oscar for Best Actor in 2014 for his transformative role as Ron Woodroof, a real-life AIDS patient, in the film Dallas Buyers Club.