OpenAI Sora: Judge Blocks ‘Cameo’ Use – Legal Update
- A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order preventing OpenAI from using names similar to "Cameo" for its Sora AI video generation products, pending a December hearing.
- Lee issued a temporary restraining order on Friday, November 24, 2023, preventing OpenAI from utilizing several names, including "Cameos" and "CameoVideo," in connection with its Sora artificial intelligence...
- The legal action stems from a lawsuit filed on October 28, 2023, by Baron App, a Chicago-based technology company operating under the name "Cameo." Baron App alleges trademark...
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OpenAI Temporarily Blocked From Using “Cameo” Trademarks for Sora
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A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order preventing OpenAI from using names similar to “Cameo” for its Sora AI video generation products, pending a December hearing.
background: The Trademark Dispute
U.S. District Judge Eumi K. Lee issued a temporary restraining order on Friday, November 24, 2023, preventing OpenAI from utilizing several names, including “Cameos” and “CameoVideo,” in connection with its Sora artificial intelligence video generation products and marketing materials as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
The legal action stems from a lawsuit filed on October 28, 2023, by Baron App, a Chicago-based technology company operating under the name “Cameo.” Baron App alleges trademark infringement and unfair competition by OpenAI according to the los Angeles Times.
What Dose Cameo Do?
Baron App’s Cameo platform allows users to request personalized video messages from celebrities. The company has secured multiple U.S. Trademark Registrations for its “Cameo” product, which has been in operation for eight years.
Celebrities who have utilized the Cameo platform include Snoop Dogg, tony Hawk, Jon Bon Jovi, and even Donald Trump.
OpenAI’s Sora and the Potential for Confusion
OpenAI’s sora is a new AI model capable of generating realistic and imaginative videos from text instructions. The lawsuit alleges that OpenAI’s proposed use of “cameo” or similar names for features within sora could create confusion among consumers, leading them to believe there is an affiliation between the two companies.
The specific features at issue, “Cameos” and “CameoVideo,” suggest OpenAI intended to use these terms to describe elements of Sora’s video generation capabilities.
Legal Proceedings and Next steps
Judge Lee has scheduled a hearing for December 19, 2023, to further examine the claims made by baron App and determine whether a preliminary injunction should be issued. A preliminary injunction would prevent OpenAI from using the disputed trademarks for a longer period while the lawsuit proceeds.
The case is Baron App, Inc. v. OpenAI, Inc., case number 3:23-cv-06428, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.