Matthew McConoughey trademarks iconic phrase to limit AI misuse

Matthew McConoughey and the commercial arm of his Just Keep Livin Foundation registered clips, including the catchphrase "alright, alright, alright," with the US Patent and Trademark Office to protect his image and voice from unauthorised AI use, his lawyers told news outlets.

Matthew McConoughey has filed trademark registrations covering clips of his image and voice with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The filings include his well-known line "alright, alright, alright" from the 1993 film Dazed and Confused. His lawyers and outside experts described the move as the first known use of trademark law by an actor to address potential AI misuse of a likeness. The registrations were submitted by the commercial arm of the Just Keep Livin Foundation. Known details: - The filings list audio and visual clips tied to McConoughey's image and voice, including the Dazed and Confused catchphrase. - Lawyers and an academic expert said this appears to be the first time an actor has tried to use trademark law against AI misuse of a likeness. - McConoughey's legal team told reporters they have no current public examples of his likeness being manipulated by AI but hope the trademarks can be applied broadly to unauthorised uses. - Several clip registrations were made by the commercial arm of the Just Keep Livin Foundation, a nonprofit linked to the actor. - McConoughey holds a stake in ElevenLabs, a company that produces AI voice models; ElevenLabs created an AI audio version of the actor with his permission. - Academics cited wider industry concern about deepfakes and said creators are experimenting with legal tools to address reputational and commercial risks. Summary: The trademark filings are intended to create a clearer legal perimeter around McConoughey's voice and image amid growing concern over AI-generated deepfakes and unauthorised commercialisation. Legal and academic commentators note the move reflects broader industry interest in new forms of protection and that similar steps by others are possible. Undetermined at this time.