Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is seeking new legal protection against AI-generated deepfakes as voice-cloning technology makes it easier to fabricate statements from public figures.

Meloni filed an application with the European Union Intellectual Property Office on October 5 to trademark a recording of her voice, according to reports confirmed by her office. The four-second clip contains Meloni saying “Io sono Giorgia Meloni,” or “I am Giorgia Meloni,” twice.

The application remains under examination and has not yet been approved. A trademark would give Meloni another legal tool to challenge certain unauthorized uses of the protected recording, although it would not prevent people from creating AI-generated deepfakes using her voice.

The move comes as increasingly sophisticated voice-cloning systems can be used to manufacture speeches, interviews, endorsements and even supposed government announcements. Such fabricated material can make it appear that political leaders said things they never actually said, potentially confusing voters and spreading false information online.

Meloni has previously warned about the broader dangers of manipulated content, saying that while she can defend herself against such attacks, many other people cannot.

The prime minister has also taken legal action over sexually explicit deepfake images using her likeness. A civil case against a Sardinian man accused of creating and distributing the material began in 2024 and remains pending.

The phrase selected for the trademark has particular significance for Meloni. She became widely known for declaring at a 2019 political rally, “I am Giorgia, I am a woman, I am a mother, I am Italian, I am Christian.” The speech later became the basis of a viral disco remix, while her 2021 autobiography was titled Io sono Giorgia.

The trademark filing comes ahead of Italy's next general election, scheduled for 2027, as political campaigns increasingly face the challenge of distinguishing authentic recordings and images from AI-generated fabrications.