A federal court has issued a temporary restraining order blocking OpenAI from using the term “Cameo” and its variants in the Sora video-generation app, escalating a branding dispute that has suddenly become a high-stakes legal battle. The order aims to halt what Cameo claims is a clear risk of consumer confusion and dilution of its trademark.
Legal Freeze on Sora Branding
Judge Eumi K. Lee of the Northern District of California prohibited OpenAI from using “Cameo,” “Character Cameos,” “Cameos,” “CameoVideo,” and phonetic variants—including “Kameo”—in connection with Sora. A TRO is designed to prevent imminent harm while the court evaluates the underlying merits, preserving the status quo during the early phase of litigation.
Cameo, operated by Baron App, Inc., filed the suit in late October under the Lanham Act, alleging trademark infringement, dilution, and unfair competition. The central claim is a “likelihood of confusion,” supported by examples of customers who mistakenly contacted Cameo about OpenAI’s features and users mis-tagging Cameo in posts about Sora.
Sora 2’s ability to insert personal likenesses into AI-generated scenes has accumulated hundreds of millions of views, intensifying the potential impact of the naming conflict. The court established an accelerated schedule, with filings due between December 1 and December 17, and the TRO remaining in effect until December 22 while a preliminary-injunction hearing takes place on December 19.
The case joins a growing list of legal challenges against OpenAI, including a copyright dispute over evidence handling, a naming conflict involving the “Sora” mark, and a hardware-related clash over the “IO” brand. The series of lawsuits underscores mounting legal pressure around naming, branding, and intellectual property for AI products.
An OpenAI spokesperson responded that “no one can claim exclusive ownership over the word cameo,” signaling a firm intention to contest the order. Meanwhile, Cameo argues that the alleged misuse represents “an existential threat” to its business, raising the stakes of the litigation.
The dispute highlights broader questions about whether common entertainment-industry terms can be protected against use by emerging AI platforms. For product teams, the ruling underscores the reputational and operational risks of naming decisions in fast-moving AI markets.
The TRO establishes an immediate precedent in the balance between trademark protections and AI innovation. The December 19 hearing will be the decisive moment determining whether the restriction stays in place as litigation continues.
