Court orders OpenAI to stop using 'Cameo' name

The legal dispute, filed by plaintiff Cameo—a platform for personalized video messages—has resulted in a ruling from a federal district court in Northern California. The court ruled in favor of Cameo and ordered OpenAI to stop using “Cameo” in its products and features. According to the court’s determination, the name “Cameo” was similar enough to cause user confusion. Following a temporary restraining order—which is a short-term court order to stop an action—granted in November, OpenAI renamed its video-generation feature to “Characters.” The court ruling was filed on Saturday.

Steven Galanis, the CEO of Cameo, emphasized the importance of protecting the brand, noting that they have spent nearly a decade building it. “We have spent nearly a decade building a brand that stands for talent-friendly interactions and genuine connection, and we like to say that ‘every Cameo is a commercial for the next one,” Galanis said. He added that the ruling is a critical victory not just for the company, but for the integrity of their marketplace and the thousands of creators who trust the Cameo name. Galanis stated that the company will continue to vigorously defend its intellectual property against any platform that attempts to trade on the goodwill and recognition they have worked to establish.

An OpenAI spokesperson told Reuters that the company disagrees with the complaint’s assertion that anyone can claim exclusive ownership over the word “cameo” and looks forward to continuing to make its case. Despite this stance, the company remains involved in several intellectual property cases in recent months. Earlier this month, OpenAI ditched “IO” branding around its upcoming hardware products, according to court documents obtained by Wired. Separately, in November, the digital library app OverDrive sued OpenAI over its use of “Sora” for its video-generation app. The company is also facing legal disputes with various artists, creatives, and media groups in various geographies over copyright violations. These ongoing disputes reflect the broader legal scrutiny facing the company as it expands its product offerings.

Why it matters

This ruling represents a legal setback for OpenAI as it navigates a web of intellectual property disputes across various geographies. It highlights the growing friction between product iteration in the artificial intelligence sector and established trademark rights.