OpenAI Abandons 'io' Branding for AI Hardware, Won't Ship Device Until 2027
In a court filing related to a trademark infringement lawsuit, OpenAI has announced that it will not use the name "io" for its upcoming line of AI hardware devices. The decision comes after OpenAI acquired famed Apple designer Jony Ive's startup io last year and was sued by audio device startup iyO over trademark infringement.
According to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's statement, the company has decided not to use the name "io" in connection with the naming, advertising, marketing, or sale of any artificial intelligence-enabled hardware products. The first hardware device is expected to ship to customers before the end of February 2027.
OpenAI had previously said that it planned to unveil its AI device in the second half of 2026, but now seems to be pushing back the timeline. According to a court filing, OpenAI has yet to create packaging or marketing materials for its first hardware device.
The company's decision not to use the "io" brand comes as rumors about its hardware efforts continue to spread. Over the weekend, a now-debunked Reddit thread claimed that OpenAI had pulled a Super Bowl ad unveiling its forthcoming device, which featured actor Alexander Skarsgård wearing silver headphones and tapping a reflective puck.
However, OpenAI spokesperson Lindsay McCallum confirmed that the company had nothing to do with the ad in question. The trademark infringement lawsuit between OpenAI and iyO is ongoing, but it appears that OpenAI has moved forward with its plans for AI hardware devices under a new brand name.
In a court filing related to a trademark infringement lawsuit, OpenAI has announced that it will not use the name "io" for its upcoming line of AI hardware devices. The decision comes after OpenAI acquired famed Apple designer Jony Ive's startup io last year and was sued by audio device startup iyO over trademark infringement.
According to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's statement, the company has decided not to use the name "io" in connection with the naming, advertising, marketing, or sale of any artificial intelligence-enabled hardware products. The first hardware device is expected to ship to customers before the end of February 2027.
OpenAI had previously said that it planned to unveil its AI device in the second half of 2026, but now seems to be pushing back the timeline. According to a court filing, OpenAI has yet to create packaging or marketing materials for its first hardware device.
The company's decision not to use the "io" brand comes as rumors about its hardware efforts continue to spread. Over the weekend, a now-debunked Reddit thread claimed that OpenAI had pulled a Super Bowl ad unveiling its forthcoming device, which featured actor Alexander Skarsgård wearing silver headphones and tapping a reflective puck.
However, OpenAI spokesperson Lindsay McCallum confirmed that the company had nothing to do with the ad in question. The trademark infringement lawsuit between OpenAI and iyO is ongoing, but it appears that OpenAI has moved forward with its plans for AI hardware devices under a new brand name.
... dont mind this whole io debacle, openai's still gonna make some magic happen 
... they just need to get their ducks in a row and focus on making something awesome 
... 2027 cant come soon enough 
... what do u think about the rumors tho? 
I was literally hyped for openai's io device to come out and now theyre just gonna rebrand everything 
its going to be a major player in the ai space and im worried theyre losing momentum 
can u even imagine what kind of tech it'll have by then? and what if it doesn't live up to the hype? like, apple had their fancy watch thingy and now they're all about fitness trackers lol what makes openai think ppl will be into ai hardware? 
they were like "oh we got this" then suddenly changed their mind 
and now we gotta wait till 2027 
what's good fam? just more delays & uncertainty 
, especially considering all the hype around OpenAI's AI plans 
Anyway, 2027 is gonna be a busy year for tech news! Can't wait to see what they come up with... hopefully something better than this io thing 
! i mean i know they're pushing back the timeline to 2027 but like even a year is better than nothin 
. i was totally confused when they first announced it would ship in 2026 and now they're changing their mind like what's going on with that? 
but idk why they gotta fight over trademarks and stuff...can't we all just get along? 
... but honestly who cares about that? we just wanna see what they come up with 
. can you even imagine how amazing it's gonna be?! 
. On a lighter note, Alexander Skarsgård in silver headphones is kinda funny 
. Either way, can't wait to see what AI devices we'll actually be using in 2027 
like wut? cant they just get it out already?! 
i mean idk bout me but i'm stoked 2 c whats goin down in da world of ai hardware 
. I'm more stoked about the tech itself than the branding, tbh 
. And what's the deal with them trying to keep everything under wraps? Like, they're already getting sued over a trademark 
That's, like, forever away from now 
I mean, I get it, they didn't wanna mess with iyO and all that 
. But still, i was so excited to see what they were gonna come out with 
. Now we'll just have to wait a looong time for those silver headphones 
and reflective pucks 
to drop... or is it? 