OpenAI blocked from using Cameo name for its AI video features
OpenAI has been temporarily blocked from using the word “Cameo” in a product that allows users to generate prompt-based videos as part of a trademark dispute.
Last year, celebrity video platform Cameo sued OpenAI, alleging the San Francisco company infringed on its trademark. People use Cameo to purchase personalized celebrity videos as gifts for their friends or loved ones.
Cameo filed the lawsuit after OpenAI introduced a new video feature called “Cameo” that allows people, including celebrities, to “create a virtual likeness of themselves.”
In an early victory for Cameo, a federal judge in California granted the company’s motion for a preliminary injunction, blocking OpenAI’s use of the name, according to an order filed over the weekend.
Judge Eumi Kim Lee’s ruling indicates that Cameo is likely to prove that OpenAI infringed on its trademark.
“We have spent nearly a decade building a brand synonymous with friendly talent interactions and genuine connections,” said Steven Galanis, co-founder and CEO of Cameo. “This decision is a critical victory not only for our company, but also for the integrity of our marketplace and for the thousands of talents who trust the Cameo name. »
OpenAI pushed back against Cameo’s allegations.
“We disagree with the complaint’s assertion that anyone can claim sole ownership of the word ‘cameo,’ and we look forward to continuing to press our case,” a company spokesperson said in a statement.
The legal battle highlights how artificial intelligence is reshaping videos from celebrities and A-list creators, underscoring the backlash against AI-generated content.
Chicago-based Cameo raised concerns in its lawsuit that OpenAI’s use of its name could lead consumers to think OpenAI’s video functionality is associated with the celebrity video platform.
This would harm Cameo because the company’s brand would be linked to “AI slops and deepfakes featuring celebrities” when its videos are of real people, according to the order.
Cameo also alleges that OpenAI adopted its marketing strategy by using celebrities such as Jake Paul, Mark Cuban, Ricky Berwick and Snoop Dogg to promote its Sora video generator and its new feature. These stars allow users of OpenAI’s Sora to create AI videos featuring celebrities.
Because Cameo and OpenAI’s videos include the same celebrities, “the two products may be indistinguishable to the consuming public,” the order states.
