OpenAI's Sam Altman Gets a Taste of His Own Medicine: Trademark Troubles and a Side of 'Stay Out of My Territory'

A Little 'io' Trouble

Well hello there. Walter White here. Seems even the big boys like OpenAI are getting a taste of the blue stuff... I mean legal trouble. This whole thing with Iyo suing Sam Altman and his AI empire over a name? It's rich really. Like a certain breakfast I prefer not to remember. Altman's going around buying up AI startups like he's got all the money in the world... which let's face it he probably does. But then this little Iyo outfit comes along waving a cease and desist like it's a bag of Heisenberg's finest. Trademark infringement they say. Oh the irony.

'Tread Lightly'

Altman's whining that Iyo's CEO this Jason Rugolo guy was trying to get OpenAI to invest or buy them out. Now correct me if I'm wrong but isn't that how the game is played? You hustle you make your pitch and sometimes you get lucky. But when that doesn't work you don't go crying to the courts especially if you are just trying to protect your business. 'Silly disappointing and wrong,' Altman calls it. Pot meet kettle much?

A temporary restraining order? Seriously?

Iyo managed to get a judge to issue a temporary restraining order! Can you believe that? OpenAI had to pull the blog post about the deal with Jony Ive's 'io.' It's like taking the meth off the streets only to bring it back later with a new name so you can't get caught. Iyo is saying they're about to lose their identity which is a bit melodramatic if you ask me. But hey I guess that's how you play the game these days. No half measures.

Heisenberg's Business Lessons

Altman's posting emails from Rugolo trying to paint him as some desperate hustler. Newsflash Sam: everyone's hustling. You me that guy selling balloons on the corner. The difference is some of us are just better at it. This reminds me of back when I was selling meth but I didn't complain I was being taken advantage of... or maybe I did a few times... The game is the game.

Sixty Seven Wait what?

This Rugolo guy is saying there are 675 other two letter names OpenAI could have chosen. Seriously? That's his big argument? Come on man. You gotta bring more to the table than that. But he does have a point. If you are going to build your empire do so without stepping on the little guys that came first. Respect to the OGs.

Say My Name

So OpenAI's got lawsuits coming out of its ears – The New York Times Elon Musk and now Iyo. Maybe Altman should have stuck to teaching chemistry. Or... You know... But hey at least it makes things interesting. As for me I'm just sitting back watching the empire crumble one trademark at a time. Just remember Sam in the words of the great Heisenberg 'Stay out of my territory.' Or in this case Iyo's territory. This Iyo One wearable device with 16 microphones sounds like the perfect way to eavesdrop on all the drama. I might just have to get one... for science of course.