Matthew McConaughey Trademarked Himself to Fight AI Fakes. M.
His bet: legal protection (trademarks) and technology partnership plus investment in ElevenLabs. But enforcement happens in the cloud—and his strategy ignores that crucial stage.
Yesterday The Wall Street Journal reported that actor Matthew McConaughey trademarked himself—his face, his voice, his catchphrases—”to combat unauthorized artificial-intelligence fakes”. Eight separate trademarks have been approved by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office—including his trademark saying “Alright alright alright” from the cult classic “Dazed and Confused”. He also partnered with AI company ElevenLabs, licensing his voice for a Spanish version of his newsletter and becoming an investor in the company.
His approach combines two strategies: legal protection through trademarks that let him sue in federal court, and technology partnerships that control who can use his voice in the first place. The goal is straightforward—control when and how AI uses his likeness.
However, the law is murkier when it comes to AI content getting monetized through platform ads. UCLA law professor Mark McKenna told the WSJ, there are no “crystal clear rules” about whether AI-generated content can be considered commercial.
McConaughey’s dual approach reveals something important about the current landscape: where we have certainty about IP protection, and where we are still operating in the dark.
