OpenAI is dropping “io” as the brand for its planned AI hardware devices, following a Monday court filing in a trademark lawsuit with audio startup iyO.
The filing also suggests the first device won’t be coming any time soon, with customer shipments not expected until 2027.
Why ‘io’ is out
In the court record, OpenAI vice president and general manager Peter Welinder said the company reassessed its naming plan and decided it would not use “io” (or “IYO,” in any capitalization) in connection with the naming, advertising, marketing, or sale of AI-enabled hardware products, Wired reported.
The dispute stems from a trademark lawsuit filed following OpenAI’s acquisition of Jony Ive’s startup io. OpenAI said it plans to move forward with a new name and will share it later.
What we know so far
The same court record also puts a date on when the first device might reach customers: OpenAI said it won’t ship before the end of February 2027.
That’s later than the timeline the company previously cited publicly. OpenAI had said it planned to unveil its AI device in the second half of 2026, but the filing indicates customers won’t see it for quite a while after that.
Product specifics remain limited, but the filing describes an early prototype as a screenless device intended to sit on a desk and work alongside a phone and a laptop. Welinder also said OpenAI has not yet created packaging or marketing materials for the first hardware product.
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