Matthew McConaughey has taken a significant step in the ongoing debate surrounding artificial intelligence by trademarking his image and voice. This further step ensures against illegal appropriation by AI engines. The expert consensus is that it’s the first time anybody has used trademark law to legally protect their likeness from being used in AI-generated content.
Well, McConaughey’s legal team just got a huge victory. They recently trademarked a few snippets with the actor, including his famous “alright, alright, alright” from the 1993 movie Dazed and Confused, with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. This registration was executed through the commercial arm of the Just Keep Livin Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by McConaughey and his wife, Camila.
Kevin Yorn, one of McConaughey’s attorneys, explained that the actor’s objective is to “capture some of the value that is being created with this new technology.” For the record, McConaughey isn’t against generative AI. Despite his willingness, he is adamant about wanting clear lines drawn when it comes to utilizing his likeness and voice.
In an email published by OpEd, McConaughey delivered his full concerns. He both illustrated and echoed the struggle to defend creativity in our brave new technological world.
“My team and I want to know that when my voice or likeness is ever used, it’s because I approved and signed off on it” – Matthew McConaughey
McConaughey didn’t launch this initiative solely on his own Texas roots. Their concerns are mostly about the potential misuse of this AI technology. Scarlett Johansson and Taylor Swift have already spoken out about experiencing deep fake videos and AI-generated audio clips featuring their likenesses on the web. These fraudulent forgeries are made possible by many AI applications. In 2024, Johansson expressed her shock and anger when OpenAI launched a chatbot that mimicked her voice with unsettling accuracy.
“We want to create a clear perimeter around ownership with consent and attribution the norm in an AI world” – Matthew McConaughey
The legal landscape around AI-generated content has changed rapidly and dramatically as well. As recently as June 2025, Disney and Universal sued Midjourney, a generative AI company. They charged the company’s image generator of being “a bottomless pit of plagiarism.” This represents a burgeoning concern among creatives about their rights as we rapidly advance into an unknown tech future.
Dr. Sandra Wachter, Professor for technology and regulation at the University of Oxford. She hopes other people will soon be inspired by McConaughey’s actions and take steps to use the law to protect themselves from AI abuses. She highlighted the challenges creators have to go through in order to protect their work.
Alina Trapova, an assistant professor in copyright law at University College London, argues passionately for this approach. Pablito says she hopes McConaughey’s trademark play will inspire other actors who are concerned about AI tech to take action.
“It is simple for companies to take your work and train a model to do your job. It is comparatively difficult for you to protect your work in the first place” – Dr. Sandra Wachter
As he begins to address this multi-faceted issue, McConaughey’s trademark application is the focus. It aligns just right with the screening of his new film, The Lost Bus. A picture of him was taken at this gathering. It represents an incredible win for his career and sparks the much needed macro discussion about artists’ IP rights in our increasingly AI-dominated landscape.
As he navigates this complex issue, McConaughey’s trademark filing coincided with a screening for his upcoming film, The Lost Bus. A photograph of him was captured at this event, symbolizing a pivotal moment not only for his career but also for the broader conversation surrounding intellectual property rights in an age dominated by artificial intelligence.