Luke Littler trademarks his face: a warning sign for brands in the age of AI

Luke Littler has just become the youngest darts world champion in history. At 19, he’s already won back‑to‑back world titles, appeared on some of the biggest stages in the country and built a brand powerful enough to attract global sponsors.

Now, he’s taking another step that should make every business stop and think. Littler has applied to trademark his own face.

The reason isn’t merchandise or vanity. It’s protection.

With generative AI making it easier than ever to recreate people, voices and images, Littler is looking to stop his likeness being reproduced or used commercially without his permission. It’s a move designed to get ahead of misuse, impersonation and opportunistic exploitation before it becomes a problem.

That same threat doesn’t stop at celebrities.

AI tools are already being used to create convincing fake videos, cloned voices, altered images and spoof content online. For organisations, that opens the door to brand impersonation, fraud, reputational damage and loss of trust. If someone can convincingly look like you, sound like you or act like your business, the consequences can be serious.

What Littler’s move shows is a growing understanding that digital assets need protecting just as much as physical ones. He’s signalling ownership, intent and control over how his identity is used. Even if the legal landscape around AI is still evolving, proactive steps now can deter misuse later.

For businesses, the parallel is clear. Your brand, your data, your systems and your digital identity are valuable property. As AI becomes more capable, the risk of unauthorised use, manipulation or exploitation increases. Waiting until something goes wrong is no longer an option.

Strong cyber security, clear data governance and an understanding of how AI intersects with your business are no longer technical issues hidden in IT. They’re board‑level concerns tied directly to trust, reputation and resilience.

At Shoothill, we work with organisations to help them understand these risks before they turn into incidents. From protecting systems and data to ensuring AI is used safely, responsibly and securely, it’s about putting the right controls in place early.

Luke Littler is protecting his future by taking ownership of his digital identity. Businesses should be doing the same.

If you’d like to understand how AI changes your risk profile and what practical steps you can take to protect your organisation, we’re here to help.