A federal court in Northern California has ordered OpenAI to stop using the name “Cameo” for a feature in its video tool, siding with the celebrity video platform Cameo in a trademark issue.
The decision found that OpenAI’s use of the word was close enough to cause confusion among users.
Judges rejected the argument that “Cameo” simply described the feature. Instead, the court said the term suggests a service rather than directly describing it, which gives it stronger protection under US trademark law.
OpenAI had used the Cameo name for a feature in its video generation app, Sora. The feature allowed users to place digital versions of themselves into AI-generated videos.
After a temporary restraining order in November, the company changed the feature’s name to “Characters”.
In a statement, Cameo’s chief executive, Steven Galanis, welcomed the decision.
“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,” he noted.
OpenAI disagreed with the court’s position. A spokesperson told Reuters: “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.”
Cameo, which connects fans with celebrities who record personalised video messages, says it has more than 40,000 creators on its platform.
The company argued that OpenAI’s use of the name risked confusing customers and weakening its brand.
This is not the first naming issue involving OpenAI. In November, digital library app OverDrive sued the company over its use of the name “Sora” for its video tool.
Earlier this year, OpenAI also dropped “IO” branding linked to planned hardware products after legal challenges.
Beyond branding rows, OpenAI faces several lawsuits from artists, writers and media groups in different countries.
They allege copyright violations tied to AI-generated content. Those cases are still ongoing.
