Judge Blocks OpenAI from Using 'Cameo' Name for Sora Feature

A federal court in California has sided with the celebrity video platform Cameo in a trademark dispute against OpenAI. The ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge Eumi Lee, prevents OpenAI from using the term 'cameo' for a feature in its Sora video generation tool.

The legal conflict began last year when Cameo filed suit. The company argued that OpenAI's use of the 'Cameo' name—for a function letting users insert likenesses into AI-generated videos—would create marketplace confusion and weaken its brand. OpenAI continued to operate the feature after the lawsuit was filed.

Judge Lee determined Cameo is likely to prevail in the broader case and imposed a preliminary injunction over the weekend. This order formally bars OpenAI from using the contested name while litigation proceeds. In a statement to Reuters, an OpenAI spokesperson contested the claim, saying, "We disagree... that anyone can claim exclusive ownership over the word ‘cameo,’ and we look forward to continuing to make our case."

The decision marks another significant intellectual property challenge for the AI industry. As video generation technology advances rapidly, lawsuits from authors, musicians, film studios, and other rights holders against leading AI firms have become commonplace, testing the boundaries of copyright and trademark law in a new technological era.

Source: Engadget