Name dispute: OpenAI removes announcement of collaboration with Jony Ive

OpenAI has taken the presentation of its billion-euro deal with design legend Jony Ive off the internet following a name dispute. This is clear from a notice on the page where the deal was originally announced. It states that a court ordered the removal after a company called “iYo” took action against the name “io” of Ive's AI start-up. iYo is also a company from the AI sector. Bloomberg reported just last week that io could therefore be banned from using the name for now. This now seems to have happened, even if OpenAI “does not agree” with the complaint.

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Billion-euro deal: Ex-Apple design boss Jony Ive and OpenAI join forces

At the end of May, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and former Apple design chief Jony Ive announced a collaboration that would primarily focus on hardware for AI use. To this end, OpenAI intends to acquire the start-up for AI devices co-founded by Ive, which goes by the name of io, for almost 6.5 billion US dollars. The largest acquisition in OpenAI's history will give the company its department for the development of AI-controlled devices. It will develop AI devices that will one day be ubiquitous and bring the use of AI into everyday life.

The company responsible for the legal dispute, iYo, is also developing a device for the use of AI, namely headphones that can be controlled using natural speech. The company was apparently able to convince the responsible judge in California that the risk of confusion due to the identical names iYo and io is too great. OpenAI has assured a US journalist that the legal dispute has no impact on the takeover itself, which will continue to be pursued. OpenAI explains that it does not agree with iYo's complaint and is examining its options. Following the court's decision, however, all references to the name had to be taken offline.

(mho)