A federal district court in Northern California has barred OpenAI from using the name Cameo for an AI video feature, siding with the celebrity video marketplace that has long operated under that brand. The court found that OpenAI’s use of the name for a Sora-based tool risked confusing users and rejected the argument that “cameo” was merely descriptive of a feature that inserts a person’s likeness into generated video.
The order builds on an earlier temporary restraining measure and cements, for now, a clear boundary: OpenAI must not apply the Cameo name to any product or feature. OpenAI had already rebranded the capability to Characters after the initial order, signaling the company’s attempt to comply while continuing to develop the underlying technology.
What the ruling says about Cameo trademark dispute
In the ruling, the court concluded that OpenAI’s naming created a likelihood of consumer confusion with Cameo’s established mark. The judge also rejected OpenAI’s claim that “cameo” simply described a feature, determining instead that the term suggested a quality of the tool rather than directly describing it—an important distinction under trademark law that typically strengthens the mark holder’s position.
Trademark disputes in the Ninth Circuit often turn on the Sleekcraft factors, a multi-point test that weighs the strength of the mark, similarity of the marks, proximity of the offerings, evidence of actual confusion, and the marketing channels used. While the court’s analysis was case-specific, its bottom line was straightforward: Cameo’s brand equity, consumer recognition, and overlapping context in digital video experiences made confusion a real risk.
Why Cameo pressed the case to protect its brand
Cameo, known for paid, personalized video messages from actors, athletes, and creators, framed the dispute as a defense of hard-won goodwill. The company said it has spent years building a brand associated with talent-friendly interactions and authentic fan engagement, and argued that allowing a tech giant to appropriate the name for adjacent AI video use would erode that trust.
Leadership emphasized that the decision protects not only the company’s reputation but also the marketplace relied upon by thousands of creators. In an era where AI-generated content blurs lines between likeness, performance, and impersonation, Cameo’s legal stance hinges on preserving clarity for consumers and a reliable commercial identity for performers.
OpenAI’s position and what comes next in the case
OpenAI has pushed back on the notion that a single company can monopolize a common word, telling Reuters it disagrees with the claims and intends to continue making its case. The order pertains to branding rather than technical capabilities, leaving room for OpenAI to appeal or to pursue a full trial on the merits.
Legally, the dispute turns on classic Lanham Act principles. Suggestive marks—those that require imagination to connect the term to the product—are protectable without proof of secondary meaning, whereas purely descriptive terms typically need evidence that consumers associate them with a single source. By characterizing Cameo as suggestive in this context, the court heightened the bar for OpenAI’s defense.
A growing pattern of AI naming clashes in tech
This is not OpenAI’s only branding battle. The company recently stepped away from “IO” branding for forthcoming hardware, according to court records reported by WIRED, and faces a separate suit from digital library app OverDrive over the Sora name used for video generation. Those tangle with a broader thicket of IP issues already surrounding generative AI, including ongoing copyright litigation from artists and media organizations across multiple jurisdictions.
The rush to launch new AI features has compressed traditional brand-clearance timelines. Trademark practitioners note that crowded naming fields, overlapping classes, and global rollouts raise the risk of conflict. Early vetting, coordinated international filings, and consumer perception surveys are increasingly critical as AI product portfolios expand.
Impact for users and developers after the ruling
For users, the practical change is the label, not the functionality. OpenAI’s video tool that can place a user’s likeness into a generated scene continues under the Characters name. The order does not restrict OpenAI from offering such a feature; it restricts the use of Cameo branding that the court found likely to confuse consumers.
For developers and product teams, the takeaway is plain: naming is a strategic and legal decision, not just a marketing flourish. As AI reshapes content creation and identity online, trademarks serve as guardrails for consumer clarity. Expect more pre-launch trademark searches, earlier collaboration between legal and product groups, and a higher premium on distinctive, defensible names.
The case underscores a reality of the AI era: technological novelty does not exempt companies from well-settled brand law. With courts leaning on established confusion tests and companies racing to own memorable names, the next wave of AI innovation will be judged as much in the marketplace as in the docket.
