OpenAI won’t do this Monday’s lawsuit says it will utilize the name “io” for its future line of AI devices.
The filing is part of a trademark infringement lawsuit filed last year by audio device startup iyO, which sued OpenAI after its acquisition of the startup and about famed Apple designer Jony Ive. Peter Welinder, vice president and general manager of OpenAI, said in the filing that OpenAI has reviewed its product naming strategy and “has decided not to use the name ‘io’ (or ‘IYO’ or any of them in capital letters) in connection with the naming, advertising, marketing or sales of any AI-enabled hardware products.”
Welinder also said that OpenAI now better understands the timetable for bringing its devices to market. In the filing, the company said its first hardware device won’t ship to customers before the end of February 2027.
Previously, OpenAI announced that it plans to present its AI device in second half of 2026. The company’s first prototype is said to be a screenless device that can sit on a user’s desk and accompany a phone and laptop. Welinder also said that, according to the filing, OpenAI has not yet created packaging or marketing materials for its first hardware device.
OpenAI did not immediately respond to WIRED’s request for comment.
The message comes like this wild rumors continue to spread the word about OpenAI’s hardware efforts. Over the weekend, a debunked Reddit thread went viral claiming that OpenAI had pulled a Super Bowl ad featuring the upcoming device. Someone posted an alleged ad showing actor Alexander Skarsgård wearing silver headphones and hitting a reflective disc. The video was widely shared on social media, including: Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian.
OpenAI spokeswoman Lindsay McCallum confirmed to WIRED that the creator of ChatGPT had nothing to do with the advertised ad.
In May 2025, OpenAI announced that it would acquire Jony Ive’s secretive consumer hardware subsidiary for $6.5 billion, marking the company’s largest acquisition ever. At the time, io was touted as a recent company that would merge with OpenAI to create a family of AI devices.
The company has since been embroiled in a messy trademark infringement lawsuit that has likely revealed more about its devices than OpenAI would have liked. iyO says OpenAI and io executives met with iyO leaders and tested the company’s AI audio technology before announcing the acquisition.
OpenAI leaders previously revealed in documents related to this lawsuit that the prototype CEO Sam Altman mentioned in io’s launch video is “It is not an in-ear device or a wearable device.“