OpenAI has launched its latest AI model, o1, with enhanced reasoning capabilities, but the company’s ongoing struggle with product naming has taken an ironic turn. The new model, which was trained to spend more time thinking before responding—much like humans—features what many consider another uninspiring, code-like name from the AI giant.
CEO Sam Altman has previously acknowledged OpenAI’s naming problem, calling ChatGPT “a horrible name” during a 2023 podcast with Trevor Noah and stating as recently as July that the company needed to “revamp” its naming approach. Before the official announcement, OpenAI enthusiasts speculated the model might be called “Strawberry,” but the company ultimately chose o1, explaining they were “resetting the counter back to 1” given the model’s significant advancement in complex reasoning tasks.
In a revealing experiment, Business Insider asked the o1 model itself to evaluate its name from a marketing and branding expert’s perspective. After “thinking for 12 seconds,” o1 delivered a harsh self-assessment, rating its own name just 4 out of 10. The model identified several critical flaws: the name is too abstract, lacks brand identity, poses trademark concerns, could face SEO challenges, and risks confusion between the letter “o” and the number “0.”
The AI didn’t hold back in its critique, stating: “The name ‘o1’ lacks the distinctiveness and communicative power needed for effective branding of an AI language model. It could lead to confusion, be hard to find online, and doesn’t help in building a strong, memorable brand.”
When asked for alternatives, o1 suggested 10 better names, including LexiAI, Linguista, EchoMind, NexText, and Dialogix, providing detailed reasoning for each option based on relevance, memorability, trademark availability, SEO, and pronunciation. When specifically asked about names that would highlight the model’s chain-of-thought reasoning capabilities, o1 generated 20 additional suggestions after 15 seconds of thought, including LogicFlow, CogniChain, LogicLink, and MindFlow.
This self-aware critique highlights both the impressive reasoning capabilities of OpenAI’s latest model and the company’s persistent branding challenges as it continues to lead the AI industry.
Key Quotes
For complex reasoning tasks this is a significant advancement and represents a new level of AI capability. Given this, we are resetting the counter back to 1 and naming this series OpenAI o1.
OpenAI’s official explanation for the o1 naming convention in their press release, attempting to frame the name as a fresh start representing a new generation of AI capability.
As a marketing and branding expert, my honest reaction to naming an AI language model ‘o1’ is that it poses several significant challenges. I would rate this name a 4 out of 10.
The o1 model’s self-assessment when asked to evaluate its own name from a branding perspective, demonstrating both its reasoning capabilities and the weakness of OpenAI’s naming choice.
The name ‘o1’ lacks the distinctiveness and communicative power needed for effective branding of an AI language model. It could lead to confusion, be hard to find online, and doesn’t help in building a strong, memorable brand.
The o1 model’s detailed critique of its own name, identifying specific marketing and SEO problems that could impact the product’s market success.
By selecting a name that encapsulates the AI model’s unique reasoning capabilities, you position your product as a pioneering solution in the market.
The o1 model’s advice to OpenAI after suggesting alternative names, highlighting the strategic importance of branding in competitive positioning.
Our Take
This story perfectly encapsulates the paradox of modern AI development: companies can create models with sophisticated reasoning abilities yet still make elementary business mistakes. OpenAI’s o1 can analyze its own name with marketing expertise, generate creative alternatives, and explain its reasoning—yet the company ignored these principles when naming it.
The real significance lies in what this reveals about AI leadership priorities. OpenAI clearly prioritizes technical advancement over market appeal, which may work given their dominant position but could create vulnerabilities as competition intensifies. The fact that Sam Altman acknowledges the naming problem but hasn’t fixed it suggests organizational challenges beyond just creativity.
Most intriguingly, this demonstrates AI’s growing capability for self-reflection and critique, even if that critique highlights human decision-making flaws. As AI models become more sophisticated, we may see more instances where the technology itself provides better strategic guidance than its creators follow.
Why This Matters
This story reveals a fascinating intersection of AI capability and corporate branding strategy at one of the world’s most influential AI companies. OpenAI’s o1 model represents a significant leap in AI reasoning abilities, yet the company continues to struggle with basic marketing fundamentals—a disconnect that could impact market positioning and user adoption.
The irony of an AI model critiquing its own name demonstrates both the advancement and limitations of current AI technology. While o1 can analyze branding from multiple angles and generate creative alternatives, OpenAI’s human leadership still chose a name the AI itself considers problematic. This raises questions about how AI companies balance technical innovation with market appeal.
For the broader AI industry, this highlights the growing pains of rapid technological advancement. As AI models become more sophisticated and capable of human-like reasoning, companies must ensure their branding and communication strategies keep pace. Poor naming conventions could hinder adoption, confuse customers, and weaken brand identity in an increasingly competitive market where differentiation matters more than ever.
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Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-o1-product-name-strawberry-2024-9