A federal district court in Northern California has ruled in favour of Cameo and directed OpenAI to stop using the name “Cameo” in its products and features. The decision marks the latest development in an ongoing trademark dispute between the two companies.
OpenAI had used the “Cameo” name for a feature within its AI-powered video generation app Sora 2. The feature allowed users to insert digital versions of themselves into AI-generated videos. In its ruling filed on Saturday, the court said the name was similar enough to create confusion among users. It rejected OpenAI’s claim that “Cameo” was descriptive, stating that “it suggests rather than describes the feature.” In November, the court had already granted a temporary restraining order in favour of Cameo, stopping OpenAI from using the word. Following that order, OpenAI renamed the feature to “Characters.”
Reacting to the ruling, Cameo CEO Steven Galanis said, “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.” He added, “This ruling is a critical victory not just for our company, but for the integrity of our marketplace and the thousands of creators who trust the Cameo name. We will continue to vigorously defend our intellectual property against any platform that attempts to trade on the goodwill and recognition we have worked so hard to establish.”
An OpenAI spokesperson responded by saying, “We disagree with the complaint’s assertion that anyone can claim exclusive ownership over the word ‘cameo,’ and we look forward to continuing to make our case.” OpenAI has faced several intellectual property challenges in recent months. Earlier this month, the company dropped the “IO” branding for its upcoming hardware products, according to court documents cited by a technology publication. In November, digital library app OverDrive sued OpenAI over its use of “Sora” for its video generation app. The company is also involved in legal disputes with artists, creatives and media groups across different regions over copyright issues.
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