Overview
- The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has approved eight trademarks covering short motion and audio clips of Matthew McConaughey, including a seven‑second porch video, a three‑second Christmas‑tree clip, and audio of “Alright, alright, alright.”
- His lawyers say the filings are designed to block AI apps or users from simulating his voice or likeness without consent and to support enforcement through federal trademark claims.
- McConaughey says he seeks a clear perimeter around ownership, consent, and attribution for any use of his image or voice, and his team reports no known AI misuse to date.
- The legal team acknowledges court outcomes are uncertain and frames the strategy as a test case, while scholars note murky rules for AI content monetized on ad-supported platforms.
- The move comes as performers confront AI-driven fakes, and it coincides with McConaughey’s investment in ElevenLabs and a partnership to voice his newsletter in Spanish, as proposed federal restrictions on AI replicas remain unenacted since 2024.