
Italy's Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, has taken an unusual step to protect herself from the unauthorized use of artificial intelligence, by filing a request to register her voice as protected property.
According to Italian media, the request has been filed with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and is accompanied by a four-second audio recording, where Meloni is heard saying the phrase: "I am Giorgia Meloni."
The file is currently under review. It was filed through a law firm in Rome and a company specializing in intellectual property protection.
Sound recording is related to three categories of services: downloadable digital content, cultural activities, and the organization of political events.
The aim of this initiative is to create additional legal protection against the cloning of the Italian Prime Minister's voice and its use in audio or video materials manipulated with artificial intelligence.
Experts emphasize that voice recording cannot automatically stop the creation of "deepfake" content, but it can significantly strengthen the legal basis for taking action against persons or organizations that use one's voice without permission.
In recent years, the rapid development of artificial intelligence technologies has increased concerns about the creation of overly realistic imitations of the voice and image of public figures, making it difficult to distinguish between authentic and manipulated materials.
This is the first time that an Italian political figure has taken such an initiative to legally protect her voice.
However, similar actions have been taken before by personalities from the art world. Singer Giusy Ferreri and actor and dubber Luca Ward have also sought protection for their distinctive voices, to avoid imitations created with the help of artificial intelligence.
Meloni's initiative is considered part of an increasingly broader debate in Europe on protecting digital identity and limiting abuses that may arise from the use of advanced artificial intelligence technologies.