OpenAI has published a blog post pushing back against a lawsuit filed by Apple, describing the legal action as a "careless, aggressive and oddly personal" attempt to stifle competition. The dispute centres on Apple's objection to OpenAI's use of the name "io" for a hardware venture developed with former Apple design chief Jony Ive, with Apple arguing the branding infringes on its trademarks. The row matters because it pits two of the biggest players in consumer technology against each other just as OpenAI expands beyond software into physical devices.

OpenAI's blog post rejects Apple's claims and accuses the iPhone maker of using litigation to protect its market position rather than genuine trademark concerns, framing the suit as an aggressive move against a rival encroaching on hardware territory Apple has long dominated. The company's response suggests it intends to fight the case publicly rather than settle quietly, signalling that tensions between the two firms over AI, hardware and branding are likely to continue playing out in both courtrooms and public statements.