By techycrunchy 
OpenAI has officially filed a trademark application for its latest AI innovation, the “o1” model. The move, revealed through paperwork submitted to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on Tuesday, marks another step in the company’s strategy to safeguard its intellectual property.
Interestingly, OpenAI began protecting the “OpenAI o1” brand months before announcing the model, filing for a foreign trademark in Jamaica this past May. Such filings in smaller jurisdictions are often used by companies to establish priority for later applications in larger markets.
A Focus on “Reasoning” Models
The o1 model is part of OpenAI’s push into “reasoning” AI—a new class of models designed to tackle complex tasks by more thoroughly analyzing and fact-checking information. By taking extra time to process queries, these models aim to overcome some common pitfalls of generative AI, such as providing inaccurate or misleading answers.
OpenAI has plans to expand o1 into a series of models with enhanced reasoning capabilities, signaling a broader commitment to improving AI performance in high-stakes or intricate scenarios.
Trademark Strategy and Challenges
OpenAI has filed for around 30 trademarks to date, including for its widely recognized products “ChatGPT,” “Sora,” “GPT-4o,” and “DALL-E.” However, its attempts haven’t always succeeded. Earlier this year, the USPTO rejected OpenAI’s application to trademark “GPT,” ruling that the term was too generic. “GPT,” which stands for “Generative Pre-trained Transformer,” was already in use in other contexts when OpenAI applied for the trademark.
The application for “OpenAI o1” is still pending. It awaits assignment to an examining attorney at the USPTO, a process that can take months.
Legal Disputes Over Trademarks
While OpenAI has not aggressively enforced many of its trademarks, it has pursued legal action to protect its brand. Most notably, the company has been embroiled in a dispute with technologist Guy Ravine over the use of “Open AI.” Ravine claims he pitched the term in connection with an “open source” AI initiative around 2015—the same year OpenAI was founded.
In this case, OpenAI has seen success. A federal circuit court recently upheld a preliminary injunction in OpenAI’s favor, suggesting the company is likely to prevail in the ongoing litigation.
Broader Implications
The trademark application for o1 reflects OpenAI’s focus on cementing its leadership in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. As competition intensifies, securing intellectual property rights is crucial for maintaining market dominance and protecting innovations.
The o1 model’s focus on reasoning also represents a significant step in addressing some of the criticisms levied against generative AI—chiefly its tendency to make errors when handling complex or nuanced queries. By combining technical advancements with a robust legal strategy, OpenAI continues to position itself as a trailblazer in the AI industry.