Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has applied to the European Union Intellectual Property Office to trademark her own voice, in a novel legal move aimed at protecting herself against AI-generated deepfakes, Reuters reported on October 5.
The application, dated October 5 on the EUIPO website and confirmed by Meloni's office, includes a four-second audio recording of her twice repeating the phrase "I am Giorgia Meloni" in Italian. The phrase — "Io sono Giorgia" — is the title of her 2021 autobiography and echoes her famous 2019 rally declaration, which was later remixed into a disco track.
A long fight against manipulation
Manipulated images of the Italian premier have circulated online repeatedly, including one depicting her sitting on a bed in her underwear that was at times shared as if it were authentic. Meloni has denounced such material as part of efforts to spread falsehoods, urging users to verify content before sharing it. She has said that while she can defend herself against such attacks, many others cannot.
In 2024, she launched a civil action against a man in Sardinia accused of creating and posting deepfake pornographic images of her face. That case remains pending before an Italian court.
Legal limits
The EUIPO application is still under examination, and Italian media have cautioned that even if the trademark is approved, it would not by itself prevent the AI-driven misuse of her voice — though it could create additional legal obstacles for those who clone it.
The move makes Meloni one of the first world leaders to attempt to use intellectual property law against voice deepfakes, and it is likely to be watched closely as governments across the world grapple with how to regulate synthetic media.
Sources:
Italy PM Meloni Seeks EU Trademark for Her Voice Amid AI Deepfake Risks — Reuters
The application, dated October 5 on the EUIPO website and confirmed by Meloni's office, includes a four-second audio recording of her twice repeating the phrase "I am Giorgia Meloni" in Italian. The phrase — "Io sono Giorgia" — is the title of her 2021 autobiography and echoes her famous 2019 rally declaration, which was later remixed into a disco track.
A long fight against manipulation
Manipulated images of the Italian premier have circulated online repeatedly, including one depicting her sitting on a bed in her underwear that was at times shared as if it were authentic. Meloni has denounced such material as part of efforts to spread falsehoods, urging users to verify content before sharing it. She has said that while she can defend herself against such attacks, many others cannot.
In 2024, she launched a civil action against a man in Sardinia accused of creating and posting deepfake pornographic images of her face. That case remains pending before an Italian court.
Legal limits
The EUIPO application is still under examination, and Italian media have cautioned that even if the trademark is approved, it would not by itself prevent the AI-driven misuse of her voice — though it could create additional legal obstacles for those who clone it.
The move makes Meloni one of the first world leaders to attempt to use intellectual property law against voice deepfakes, and it is likely to be watched closely as governments across the world grapple with how to regulate synthetic media.
Sources:
Italy PM Meloni Seeks EU Trademark for Her Voice Amid AI Deepfake Risks — Reuters
