Why OpenAI erased Jony Ive deal promotions from its platforms
What's the story
OpenAI has taken down a widely-shared promotional video highlighting the partnership between CEO Sam Altman and renowned Apple designer Jony Ive. The clip also announced OpenAI's $6.5 billion acquisition of Ive and Altman's device start-up, Io. The takedown comes under a court order issued in response to a trademark infringement suit by iyO, a competing AI device maker.
Legal implications
OpenAI has emphasized that the acquisition and partnership remain intact
The decision to remove the video was prompted by a court order over the Io name. OpenAI confirmed this, saying, "This page is temporarily down due to a court order following a trademark complaint from iyO about our use of the name 'Io.' We don't agree with the complaint and are reviewing our options." Despite the removal, the company has emphasized that the acquisition and partnership remain intact.
Company background
iyO and the trademark complaint
iyO, the company behind the trademark complaint, was created by Alphabet X "moonshot factory." Its first product offering is a pair of generative AI-powered earbuds. A previous Bloomberg Law report had revealed that iyO had filed a trademark lawsuit against OpenAI. The judge in the case hinted that she might be inclined to accept iyO's argument that OpenAI's promotional video could already be causing consumer confusion.