This week, Sam Altman has an action that thought after “IO”, Openai’s team with the famous former Apple designer Jony IVE, but the recent decision of a judge could make the problem a greater headache than previously presented for the AI giant.
The lawsuit for brand injuries, which was submitted by a startup called Iyo at the beginning of this month, claimed that Altman, IVE and Openaai had known about the startup and its technology since at least 2022 and had discussions with the company about a possible investment in spring 2025. Nevertheless, Openai continued and used the homophone name “io” io in one in one in one in one Spray May announcement.
Iyo claimed that it was damaged by Opena’s announcement by IO, a startup that IVE bought with the purchase of Openai for about 6.5 billion US dollars. The lawsuit claimed that Openaai had refused to no longer use the IO name, even after Iyo had requested this, and as a result, investors were dried out about the confusion and funding interests of the startup.
A judge gave Iyo a temporary injunction last week, which depends on the Openai to use his IO brand at least up to an injunction in October. After ordering the AI company REMOVED Every mention of io from its advertising materials and website. Openai cannot use the IO brand during the rest of the process, which is scheduled to begin in January 2028, if it does not change the judge’s opinion in October, and at least one trademark believes that the opportunities stand against it.
Josh Gerben, a lawyer of the brand and lawyer for intellectual property, said the temporary injunction that the judge Iyo had granted was not easy to acquire and is usually reserved for extreme circumstances under which the damage is likely. Instead of fighting the court’s decision at the hearing in October and then in court, it can be easier for Openai to Rebrand, said Gerben.
“Iyo’s case seems to be strong, especially in view of the phonetic similarity between ‘Iyo’ and ‘io’ and the reported cases of actual confusion,” he said to Assets. “If the case went to court and Iyo would dry the donation campaigns completely, together with others prove that consumers were confused by Openaai by” IO “, he would probably win the case.”
Although Altman had pulled his IO branding, he let the lawsuit and called “silly”. The Openai CEO made a shot at Iyo several posts on XThe CEO Jason Rugulo had “been quite persistent in his efforts” to be open, either buy or invest in his company.
“I wish Jason and his team the best great products. The world certainly needs more of this and less suing,” Altman wrote in a successor.
A spokesman for Openai did not react immediately Assets‘s request for comment.
Nevertheless, Iyo’s General Counsel agreed in an explanation Assets That Iyo was confident after the judge’s decision to issue the temporary injunction last week.
“We are not surprised by Mr. Altman’s dismissive tone – but the federal judges do not give pronounced commands based on” silly “demands. The court found that Iyo is probably successful to show an injuries, and that is what is important.
