Judge Blocks OpenAI From Using “Cameo” in Ongoing Trademark Battle

A federal judge has barred OpenAI from using the term “Cameo” for its AI-generated video features, granting Cameo a temporary restraining order in its trademark dispute with the AI developer. The order was issued by U.S. District Judge Eumi K. Lee of the Northern District of California, according to a court filing in Baron App, Inc. v. OpenAI, Inc.

Claims of Trademark Infringement and Consumer Confusion

Cameo’s parent company sued OpenAI last month, alleging trademark infringement, dilution, and unfair competition tied to Sora 2’s “Cameo” feature. The restraining order blocks OpenAI and its leadership from using “Cameo” or any similar names—including “Cameos,” “CameoVideo,” or “Kameo”—for its text-to-video products or marketing in the United States.

The court scheduled a December 19 hearing, with filings from both sides set throughout early December. The order remains in effect until December 22.

Cameo Says Its Trademark Is Being Undermined

Founded in 2017, Cameo has become a major hub for personalized celebrity videos. Its complaint argues that OpenAI’s Sora 2 directly competes with its business by offering AI-generated “Cameos,” causing a growing number of users to confuse the two platforms. The filing cites examples such as customers contacting Cameo for help with Sora issues and social media users tagging Cameo in posts about OpenAI’s feature.

Cameo CEO Steven Galanis said he hopes the temporary order will push OpenAI to permanently stop using the mark to “avoid any further harm.”

A Wider Legal Storm for OpenAI

The Cameo case joins a series of mounting legal challenges facing OpenAI. In August, Elon Musk’s X Corp. and xAI filed an antitrust suit against Apple and OpenAI over alleged monopolistic practices tied to exclusive AI features on the iPhone. A judge refused to dismiss the case last month, allowing it to move forward.

Other lawsuits include an xAI complaint accusing OpenAI of an unlawful technology-poaching campaign, and ongoing litigation from authors who claim OpenAI illegally downloaded their books to train AI systems.

A Parallel Debate Over AI-Generated Misinformation

The dispute emerges as concerns about Sora 2 intensify. A recent NewsGuard analysis found that the model generated convincing deepfake videos containing false claims in 80% of test prompts, including narratives tied to documented Russian disinformation operations. The findings place additional scrutiny on OpenAI’s expanding video-generation tools as they move into broader commercial use.