OpenAI is facing fresh trouble with its Sora social app after a U.S. court blocked the company from using the word “cameo”, the name of its controversial deepfake feature and, notably, a trademark owned by the celebrity video platform Cameo.
Sora’s Cameo feature allowed users to generate realistic AI videos of themselves or others (with permission), but the rollout was rocky from the start. It even involved intervention from Martin Luther King Jr.’s estate, highlighting the ethical and legal complexity surrounding deepfake tools.
Now, it has run into a significant branding problem.
U.S. District Judge Eumi K. Lee issued a temporary restraining order preventing OpenAI from using the word cameo or any similar-sounding variations. The order, issued on November 21, 2025, remains in effect until December 22, 2025, at 5:00 p.m., with a hearing scheduled for December 19, 2025, at 11:00 a.m.
Despite the ruling, as of Monday afternoon, the Sora app still contains references to “cameo.”
Cameo’s CEO Steven Galanis welcomed the decision, arguing that OpenAI’s use of the word risked confusing consumers. “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,” Galanis said. He added that Cameo hopes OpenAI will permanently abandon the term.
Related: Fake “Sora” Apps Flood Apple’s App Store After OpenAI Launch
OpenAI, however, disputes that Cameo can claim exclusive rights over a common dictionary word like “cameo,” according to comments the company shared with CNBC.
The court battle adds to the growing list of legal and ethical challenges surrounding AI-generated media as major tech companies increasingly push into social, creative, and identity-based AI features.
