A federal district court in Northern California ruled Saturday, February 14, in favor of personalized celebrity video platform Cameo, permanently barring OpenAI from using the term “Cameo” in any products or features.
The decision ends OpenAI’s brief use of the name for a digital likeness insertion tool within its Sora 2 video-generation app, finding that the branding created a clear likelihood of consumer confusion and was not merely descriptive. The ruling, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, follows a November 2025 temporary restraining order that forced OpenAI to immediately rename the feature to “Characters.”
In granting the permanent injunction, Judge William H. Orrick rejected OpenAI’s argument that “Cameo” was a generic or descriptive term for cameo-style appearances. The court held that the word “suggests rather than describes the feature” and that Cameo had established strong secondary meaning and brand recognition in the context of personalized video messages from celebrities.
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Cameo CEO Steven Galanis hailed the decision as a major victory for brand integrity and creator trust.
“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,’” Galanis said in a statement. “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.”
OpenAI responded tersely through a spokesperson, saying: “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.”
The company has not yet indicated whether it will appeal.
Background of The Legal Dispute
The dispute began in late 2025 when Cameo filed suit alleging trademark infringement, unfair competition, and dilution after OpenAI launched the “Cameo” feature in Sora 2. The tool allowed users to insert digital likenesses of themselves (or others) into AI-generated videos, mimicking the personalized celebrity video concept that Cameo has built since 2017.
Cameo argued that the name created confusion among consumers who might mistakenly believe the feature was affiliated with or endorsed by Cameo. The court agreed, finding that Cameo had established sufficient secondary meaning in the mark and that OpenAI’s use was likely to cause consumer confusion.
The permanent injunction prohibits OpenAI from using “Cameo” or any confusingly similar term in connection with video generation, personalization, or celebrity-related features.
Broader Pattern of IP Challenges for OpenAI
The Cameo ruling is the latest in a string of intellectual property setbacks for OpenAI in recent months:
- Earlier this month, OpenAI quietly dropped the “IO” branding for its upcoming hardware products following court documents obtained by Wired that suggested trademark conflicts.
- In November 2025, digital library app OverDrive sued OpenAI over its use of “Sora” for the video-generation app, alleging trademark infringement and consumer confusion.
- OpenAI faces ongoing copyright litigation from various artists, creatives, and media organizations in multiple jurisdictions, including high-profile class actions claiming unauthorized use of copyrighted material to train models.
The Cameo case stands out because it centers on trademark law rather than copyright, highlighting a different vulnerability: brand-name usage in product features. OpenAI’s aggressive naming conventions—Sora, Cameo, Characters—have drawn scrutiny when they overlap with established brands in adjacent or overlapping markets.
The decision reinforces the importance of trademark diligence in AI product naming. As AI companies rush to launch consumer-facing features, many are adopting evocative, single-word names that risk colliding with existing marks in entertainment, media, and personalization spaces. The Cameo ruling may prompt more cautious branding strategies or earlier clearance searches.
The victory protects Cameo’s core brand identity at a time when AI-generated personalization tools are proliferating. The platform has built a marketplace around authentic celebrity interactions; confusion with an AI-generated substitute could have diluted its value proposition.
The case also illustrates the tension between rapid AI innovation and established IP rights. OpenAI’s spokesperson emphasized disagreement with the notion that “anyone can claim exclusive ownership over the word ‘cameo,’” reflecting a broader industry argument that common descriptive terms should not be monopolized. However, the court’s finding of secondary meaning and likelihood of confusion prioritizes Cameo’s established brand equity over OpenAI’s descriptive-use defense.
OpenAI has already renamed the feature to “Characters” and is expected to comply with the injunction. Whether the company appeals remains unclear, but further litigation could delay or complicate the rollout of similar personalization tools in Sora 2 or future products.
The ruling adds to OpenAI’s growing list of legal challenges as it scales consumer and enterprise offerings. While the company continues to dominate headlines with model advancements and partnerships, IP disputes—trademark, copyright, and likeness rights—are becoming a persistent operational and reputational risk.