In a lawsuit loaded with tension and tech-world drama, IYO Inc. has slammed OpenAI, CEO Sam Altman, and Apple design legend Jony Ive with allegations of willful trademark infringement. The explosive complaint, filed Monday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, accuses the trio of derailing IYO’s momentum by launching a venture called IO—a homophone of IYO—and copying its pioneering wearable technology.
IYO says the defendants “knew exactly what they were doing” when OpenAI revealed its $6.5 billion acquisition of IO Products Inc. in May, just months after IYO had pitched nearly identical ideas directly to Altman and other members of his inner circle.
“This isn’t coincidence,” the lawsuit states. “It’s calculated brand hijacking.”
The Future, in Your Ear
Founded in 2021, IYO develops screenless AI-powered wearables that allow users to interact with devices without keyboards, screens, or mice. Their flagship product, the IYO ONE, is an ear-worn interface designed to revolutionize human-computer interaction.
Meanwhile, IO’s stated mission? According to filings, to create tech that connects users to the internet and AI—without traditional physical interfaces. IYO claims this is eerily similar to its business model and pitch language.
And it’s not just the mission. IYO alleges that IO’s prototype announcement video mirrors IYO’s vision down to the wording, and asserts that IO’s branding, tone, and timing have sowed confusion in the market—just as IYO was preparing to scale.
