Ninth Circuit Skeptical About OpenAI’s Bid to Undo ‘io’ Ban (1)

A Ninth Circuit panel appeared to doubt OpenAI’s arguments to nix an order temporarily barring the company from using the “io” name for a startup it owns while IYO Inc.'s trademark-infringement lawsuit proceeds.

Judge Daniel A. Bress pushed back on OpenAI’s argument that the ban is premature because there’s no evidence it will sell a product named “io.” “I mean, we’ve seen the video,” he said, referring to a promotional video about OpenAI’s venture with Jony Ive-led Io Products Inc. “There is a reference to some big product that’s in the works. And so why is that not sufficient to ...