Not many people know this, but before it was called OpenAI, the company almost had a very different — and very philosophical — name.

When OpenAI was founded in December 2015 (back then as a non-profit), the founders — Sam Altman, Elon Musk, Greg Brockman, and Ilya Sutskever — debated several names.

One name stood out as a favorite: Cogito.

The inspiration came from the famous phrase by philosopher René Descartes: “Cogito, ergo sum” — “I think, therefore I am.”

The idea was simple but powerful: thought as proof of existence. A fitting metaphor for a company aiming to build human-level artificial intelligence.

But there was a problem. Trademark issues made it impossible to use Cogito.

So the team pivoted — and chose the name OpenAI. Maybe less philosophical, but certainly more open, approachable, and memorable.

When was OpenAI founded?
December 2015, originally as a non-profit organization.

Who were the original founders of OpenAI?
Sam Altman, Elon Musk, Greg Brockman and Ilya Sutskever.

What was the original name considered for OpenAI?
Cogito — inspired by René Descartes’ phrase “Cogito, ergo sum.”

Why wasn’t the name Cogito chosen?
It was rejected due to trademark conflicts.

What do you think — would Cogito have been a stronger name, or is OpenAI the perfect choice after all?