Sam Altman Dismisses Iyo Lawsuit as 'Silly' After OpenAI Removes Jony Ive Deal From Website

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Criticizes Iyo Lawsuit

OpenAI Co-Founder and CEO Sam Altman has dismissed a lawsuit filed by hardware startup Iyo, which accused OpenAI of trademark infringement. In a post on X, Altman described the case as 'silly, disappointing, and wrong.'

Background on the Iyo Lawsuit

The lawsuit stems from an announcement in May when OpenAI revealed it was acquiring Jony Ive’s AI hardware startup io in a deal valued at $6.4 billion. Iyo alleged that OpenAI, Altman, and Ive had engaged in unfair competition and trademark infringement, claiming it was on the verge of losing its identity due to the deal.

OpenAI's Response to the Lawsuit

OpenAI removed the blog post about the deal from its website after a judge granted Iyo’s request for a temporary restraining order. The company now displays a message stating, '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.'

Sam Altman's Defense

On X, Altman posted screenshots of emails from Iyo CEO Jason Rugolo, showing his persistent efforts to get OpenAI to buy or invest in Iyo. Altman wrote, 'Jason Rugolo has been quite persistent in his efforts to get us to buy or invest in his company. Now he is suing us over the name in a case that is silly, disappointing, and wrong.'

Iyo's Counterargument

Rugolo responded on X, stating, 'There are 675 other two-letter names they can choose that aren't ours.' Rugolo did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

OpenAI's Legal Challenges

The Iyo suit is one of several legal challenges facing OpenAI. The company is also involved in a copyright infringement case with The New York Times and a breach of contract lawsuit with Elon Musk, who helped start OpenAI as a nonprofit in 2015.

Iyo's Product Plans

Iyo is currently accepting pre-orders for its Iyo One in-ear wearable device, which contains 16 microphones. While Jony Ive has not released details about io’s product plans, Altman told The Wall Street Journal that io’s inaugural device is not a smartphone.

Altman's Final Thoughts

In another post on X, Altman wished the Iyo team the best, saying, 'The world certainly needs more great products and less lawsuits.'