Elon Musk faces potential legal battle as Microsoft owns the "X" trademark

Elon Musk's ambitious rebranding of Twitter to the letter "X" has hit a major obstacle: it turns out Microsoft already owns the "X" trademark.

Over the weekend, Musk announced that Twitter, which he had acquired for $44 billion, would be rebranded as simply "X," with plans to turn it into an AI-powered everything app. However, Microsoft holds the legal rights to the "X" trademark, potentially leading to years of litigation for Musk.

Andres Guadamuz, a faculty member in intellectual property law at the Unversity of Sussex, tweeted recently the following:

Guadamuz further added:

Meta also owns an X mark, this one is in the relevant class (including social media). Zuckerberg doesn't have to fight Musk, just get his lawyers to do it.

The clash with Microsoft adds complexity to the rebranding move. Microsoft and Musk don't have a particularly peaceful history. Microsoft, founded by Bill Gates, is known for its extensive investments in OpenAI, a company co-founded by Musk. Their past disputes and legal threats raise the stakes for any potential legal battle over the "X" trademark.

Adding to the intrigue, Musk does own the domain "X.com," which he had acquired from PayPal for sentimental reasons. Despite this, Microsoft's ownership of the trademark could present a significant challenge for Musk's rebranding efforts.

The Twitter rebrand to "X" has generated confusion and skepticism, as the platform's appearance and functionality have not seen significant changes following the announcement. The situation remains uncertain, and Musk's desire to challenge competitors suggests that a confrontation with Microsoft over the "X" trademark may not be far off.