Backstreet Boys Are Taking a Stand Against AI — And They’re Not Alone
The Backstreet Boys are taking a major step to protect one of the most recognizable things about them: their voices.
According to a new filing obtained by Billboard, the iconic boy band has officially applied to trademark an audio recording of the group saying, “Hi, we’re the Backstreet Boys.” The application was filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on June 24 as artists continue looking for ways to protect themselves against AI-generated voice cloning and deepfakes.
With artificial intelligence becoming increasingly capable of recreating celebrities’ voices, musicians are beginning to fight back. Rather than only protecting their names and likenesses, artists are now working to secure legal rights over the sounds that make them instantly recognizable.
The Backstreet Boys aren’t the first to make the move.
Earlier this month, Lionel Richie also sought trademark protection for his voice, while Taylor Swift reportedly filed a similar application months earlier. The growing trend highlights just how seriously artists are taking the rapid rise of AI-generated content and the challenges it presents.
As AI technology continues to evolve, many in the music industry worry that convincing fake recordings could be used to spread misinformation, scam fans, or create unauthorized music using an artist’s signature voice.
For the Backstreet Boys, protecting their famous introduction may be just the beginning of a much larger fight over how artists maintain ownership of their identities in the age of artificial intelligence.
As technology moves faster than the law, this could become one of the biggest battles facing the entertainment industry in the years ahead.