Luke Littler files trademark for his face amid rise of AI deepfake content

Luke Littler has become a global phenomenon in the past few years since his marked darting rise but also at the same time it has lent itself to a rise of people wanting to use his face for nefarious reasons.

So Littler has decided to take action amid all of this to file an application with the Intellectual Property Office. He has done so to control the use of his face across products from video games to cartoons.

As well as people who utilise AI deepfake content which has become a more modern occurrence and will see his face used to say words or phrases that he hasn't actually sad. It also includes voices with big names in Hollywood and further a field threatening legal action after platforms like OpenAI in the US have supposedly used voices and likenesses without permission.

In the past, Littler top of the PDC Order of Merit has had issues at times trademarking his nicknames with it working though in the US with 'The Nuke' now trademarked in his name but Jeremy Clarkson showed it could be done in the UK. The former Top Gear presenter became one of the first stars to register his face last November with the same property office.

Littler also will hope that it will combat a rise of people using his image also for knockoff merchandise with his image on darts gear, jewellery, clothing, drinks and snacks stopped in event of him being able to trademark his face and will give him control over those who decide to go against it.

From humble beginnings, Littler even at such a young age has become a millionaire and is one of the biggest names in international sport at this point so has moved to protect his image and likeness from those who want to use it for more nefarious means.

Being such a hot commodity, it is more about being a brand now than just playing darts on the outset with Littler needing to move to protect both himself but also the people around him from such issues as AI deepfakes.

Registering the trademarks gives him protection for their ideas and brands and prevents others from using them without permission and also puts a trademark symbol on his items meaning only those with said symbol are from him. Usually in this case being either his own merchandise or through Target, his lead manufacturer and management who coined most of his logos and merchandise as well as his darts.