OpenAI has recently withdrawn promotional materials that showcase the collaboration between CEO Sam Altman and celebrated Apple designer Jony Ive following the firm’s announcement of its $6.5 billion acquisition deal for Ive and Altman’s startup, io. The materials, including a widely discussed video highlighting the duo’s partnership, were noticeably pulled from OpenAI’s official website and its YouTube channel.
The removal does not imply trouble with the acquisition itself, nor does it suggest a derailment of plans for Ive to lead design initiatives at OpenAI. On the contrary, sources indicate that the agreement remains secure and continues as planned. According to reports, the absence of promotional content is the result of a judicial restraining order concerning the startup’s brand name “io.”
The issue surfaced from a trademark lawsuit initiated by AI device firm IYO, alleging that OpenAI’s use of the “io” branding might lead to market confusion. The judge has shown preliminary support for IYO’s perspective, prompting the temporary removal of all materials associated with the disputed branding.
Despite these developments, a version of the contested promotional video remains publicly accessible on other platforms, including X. OpenAI has not yet publicly commented on this situation.
