OpenAI's new social app, Sora, has encountered a significant legal hurdle just weeks after its launch. Its controversial "Cameo" feature, which enables users to create deepfake videos, is now subject to a temporary restraining order following a trademark infringement lawsuit filed by the popular celebrity video message platform, Cameo. This legal battle forces OpenAI to potentially rename the feature, highlighting growing intellectual property challenges in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.
The "Cameo" feature within the Sora app allows users to generate deepfake videos of themselves or others (with proper consent). Its rollout was already contentious, notably drawing intervention from Martin Luther King Jr.'s estate regarding unauthorized use of his likeness. Now, the feature faces a new challenge from the well-established app, Cameo, known for selling personalized video messages from celebrities.
U.S. District Judge Eumi K. Lee issued a temporary restraining order on November 21, 2025, prohibiting OpenAI from using the word "cameo" or any similar-sounding terms for its Sora feature. This order is slated to expire on December 22, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. ET, with a hearing scheduled for December 19, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. ET to further address the dispute. Despite the order, the Sora app was still observed using the "Cameo" designation as of Monday afternoon.
“We are gratified by the court’s decision, which recognizes the need to protect consumers from the confusion that OpenAI has created by using the Cameo trademark,” Cameo CEO Steven Galanis said in a statement. He added, “While the court’s order is temporary, we hope that OpenAI will agree to stop using our mark permanently to avoid any further harm to the public or Cameo.”
OpenAI, however, disputes the claim that the word "cameo" can be exclusively owned, as reported by CNBC. The company maintains its position against the assertion of exclusive ownership over the term.
This legal clash underscores the increasing complexities surrounding intellectual property rights in the rapidly advancing field of artificial intelligence, particularly as AI-powered features enter mainstream social applications. The outcome of the upcoming hearing will likely set a precedent for how common terms are protected when used in novel technological contexts.
