OpenAI's Trademark Hurdle: GPT Denied Registration

The US Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) recently rejected OpenAI's attempt to register "GPT" as a trademark. Despite OpenAI's argument that "GPT" isn't a descriptive term, the PTO deemed it too general to be trademarked. While OpenAI's application asserted that consumers wouldn't immediately understand the term, the PTO disagreed, stating that those familiar with the technology recognize "GPT" as a broad category of software, not exclusive to OpenAI products.

The denial reflects the widespread adoption of "GPT" in the AI industry, with various companies incorporating it into their product names. This association grew stronger with the popularity of OpenAI's ChatGPT and subsequent models like GPT-3 and GPT-4. Although OpenAI initially used "GPT" to label its chatbots, it has since introduced distinct branding for its new services, such as the text-to-video model "Sora."

This isn't the first setback for OpenAI's trademark efforts regarding "GPT." A previous denial occurred in May 2023. However, OpenAI has the option to appeal the decision to the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, providing another opportunity to secure trademark protection for "GPT."