OpenAI Loses "GPT" Trademark Bid: AI Term Too Common?

OpenAI Denied Trademark for GPT, Common Use in AI Field Cited

New Delhi, India – In a blow to Microsoft-backed research lab OpenAI, the US Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) has rejected their application to register the term “GPT” (generative pre-trained transformer) as a trademark.

OpenAI argued that “GPT” isn’t descriptive as consumers wouldn’t readily understand its full meaning. However, the PTO cited widespread use of the acronym in the software industry for similar AI technology, particularly regarding “ask and answer” functionalities based on pre-trained data.

“Even if consumers don’t know the acronym’s origin,” the PTO noted, “relevant users recognize ‘GPT’ as identifying software with specific AI capabilities.”

This decision comes amid a surge in generative AI adoption. Several companies have incorporated “GPT” into their product names, though its association with OpenAI grew significantly after the launch of their conversational AI model, ChatGPT. OpenAI subsequently used “GPT” for custom chatbots and their new text-to-video generation model, Sora.

While OpenAI has not commented on the decision, it highlights the challenges of trademarking terms within rapidly evolving and dynamic technological fields. With multiple players utilizing similar terminology, establishing distinct branding becomes increasingly complex.

Source.

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