Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni seeks to trademark her voice to combat AI deepfakes

On October 5, 2026, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni submitted an official application to the European Union Intellectual Property Office to trademark her own voice. This strategic move is intended to serve as a legal shield against unauthorized synthetic reproductions and AI-generated deepfakes, marking the first time an Italian politician has taken such a measure to protect their vocal identity.

The application includes a four-second audio recording in which the Prime Minister states, "I am Giorgia Meloni." As reported by the newspaper La Repubblica, Meloni is joining a growing trend of public figures seeking to safeguard their likeness, following similar actions recently taken by Italian singer Giusy Ferreri and voice actor Luca Ward. The initiative reflects broader concerns regarding the misuse of artificial intelligence in political and public discourse.