OpenAI Retires GPT-4o Model on Feb 13, Pushing Users to GPT-5.2 Despite Loyal Following
13 Sources
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Bye Bye, ChatGPT-4o: OpenAI Will Soon Retire Several Models, Pushing New GPT-5 Ones
Pour out a cold one for ChatGPT-4o. Parent company OpenAI announced on Thursday it is retiring several of its older models, including GPT-5, GPT-4o, GPT-4.1, GPT-4.1 mini and o4-mini. The last day to use these models is Friday, Feb. 13. Normally, deprecation of older AI models wouldn't warrant
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OpenAI is retiring GPT-4o - again: What it means for you, and why some users are upset
GPT-4o, the model that's become a favorite for many people because of its warm and friendly conversational tone, will be retired on Feb. 13, OpenAI announced Thursday. That means it'll no longer be accessible to paid users via the model selector menu in ChatGPT, though it'll still be available
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Chatbot Breakup: OpenAI to Retire GPT-4o Right Before Valentine's Day
Fans of GPT-4o, prepare to bid adieu. OpenAI is sunsetting the model for good, months after the company retired and then un-retired it for paid subscribers following user backlash over GPT-5. The company plans on retiring GPT-4o, alongside several other models, on Feb. 13. In a blog post, OpenAI
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OpenAI axes ChatGPT models with just two weeks' warning
GPT-4o gets second death sentence after last year's reprieve, but this time barely anyone's bothered OpenAI is sunsetting some of its ChatGPT models next month, a move it knows "will feel frustrating for some users." GPT‑4o, GPT‑4.1, GPT‑4.1 mini, and OpenAI o4-mini are on the way out on February
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OpenAI is retiring famous GPT-4o model, says GPT 5.2 is good enough
OpenAI has confirmed that it's retiring ChatGPT's most popular model, called GPT-4o, and several other models, including GPT-5 Instant, GPT-5 Thinking, GPT-4.1, GPT-4.1 mini, and o4-mini. In a support document, OpenAI confirmed that it made the ultimate decision to retire GPT-4o after GPT 5.2
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OpenAI will retire several models, including GPT-4o, from ChatGPT next month
OpenAI announced it will retire several models from its ChatGPT chatbot next month, including its GPT‑4o model that is beloved by some users. The artificial intelligence startup launched GPT-4o in May 2024, and its warm conversation style was extremely popular with a subset of its paid users. The
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ChatGPT is about to lose these AI models soon
The retirement streamlines ChatGPT's offerings, leaving users with fewer but more advanced AI models for their interactions. You'll soon have fewer AI models to choose from when conversing with ChatGPT. OpenAI recently announced that it'll soon be discontinuing several of the AI chatbot's older
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ChatGPT GPT-4o users are raging at OpenAI on Reddit right now
Some ChatGPT users are excited when OpenAI announces a new model with more powerful capabilities. That's most definitely not the case for many ChatGPT users in the Reddit community r/ChatGPTcomplaints. Over the past few days, members of the subreddit have been raging at OpenAI over the planned
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'Time to cancel': OpenAI sparks fresh fury by retiring GPT-4o model again as it claims 'we didn't make this decision lightly'
OpenAI feels that GPT-5.2 adds many features that are popular in GPT-4o Back in August, OpenAI officially retired a slate of its AI models, including GPT-4o. That was met with a swift backlash, forcing OpenAI to reinstate the model - yet its time is finally up for good, as GPT-4o is once again
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OpenAI Is Killing ChatGPT-4o (Again)
Fans on Reddit questioned the validity of these numbers, and threatened to cancel their subscriptions following the
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OpenAI to retire GPT-4o from ChatGPT next month
OpenAI announced Thursday it will retire several models, including GPT-4o, from its ChatGPT chatbot next month to concentrate development on models used by most customers. The company launched GPT-4o in May 2024. This model gained popularity among a subset of paid users for its warm conversational
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ChatGPT Is Saying Goodbye to a Beloved AI Model. Superfans Are Not Happy
OpenAI says that it will be retiring several ChatGPT models in the coming weeks, sending some superfans into a tailspin. In a statement, the company said that on February 13, the models GPT-4o, GPT‑4.1, GPT‑4.1 mini, GPT‑5 (Instant and Thinking), and OpenAI o4-mini will all be removed from
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OpenAI to Retire GPT-4o and Other Legacy AI Models in ChatGPT in February
Several ChatGPT users have expressed disappointment over the news OpenAI announced the retirement date for several legacy artificial intelligence (AI) models in ChatGPT. Most notable in the list is the GPT-4o, which has already survived one sunset attempt. In August 2025, the San Francisco-based
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OpenAI announced it will retire GPT-4o and several other ChatGPT models on February 13, just two weeks after the announcement. Despite the model's beloved conversational style and warmth, OpenAI says only 0.1% of users still choose it daily, representing about 800,000 people. The company previously reversed this decision after intense user backlash but now feels confident that GPT-5.2 and new personalization features can satisfy longtime fans.
OpenAI Retires GPT-4o After Months of User Resistance
OpenAI confirmed Thursday that it will proceed with the GPT-4o retirement on February 13, 2026, marking the end of one of ChatGPT's most beloved AI models
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. The decision affects paid subscribers who still prefer the model's distinctive conversational style and warmth over newer alternatives. Along with GPT-4o, OpenAI is sunsetting ChatGPT models including GPT-4.1, GPT-4.1 mini, o4-mini, and GPT-5 Instant and Thinking variants3
. The timing has not gone unnoticed, with the retirement scheduled for the day before Valentine's Day—a symbolic breakup for users who developed strong attachments to the model.
Source: PCWorld
This marks the second attempt by OpenAI to retire GPT-4o. When the company first deprecated the model in August following GPT-5's release, the GPT-4o user backlash was immediate and fierce
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. Users complained that GPT-5 felt short and unfriendly compared to GPT-4o, with many frustrated that their go-to model disappeared overnight1
. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman promised at the time that if the company ever deprecated it again, they would "give plenty of notice." However, the current announcement provides just two weeks' warning4
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Source: PC Magazine
Low Daily Usage of GPT-4o Drives Decision
OpenAI justifies the move by citing usage statistics. According to the company, only 0.1% of users still choose GPT-4o each day, with the vast majority having shifted to GPT-5.2
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. Based on OpenAI's reported 800 million weekly active users in its 2025 enterprise report, this translates to approximately 800,000 users1
. Some users dispute this figure, arguing it's misleading because it includes the roughly 90% of free users who haven't had access to GPT-4o since GPT-5's debut2
."We know that losing access to GPT-4o will feel frustrating for some users, and we didn't make this decision lightly," OpenAI wrote in its announcement
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. The company explained that OpenAI retiring models allows them to streamline development and focus resources on improving the AI models that most people use today. For ChatGPT Plus and Pro paid subscribers, all existing conversations will remain accessible after February 13, though users will need to continue them using different models2
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Source: Lifehacker
User Preferences Shape Newer GPT-5 Models
The company brought GPT-4o back last year after hearing clear user feedback from Plus and Pro subscribers who needed more time to transition key use cases like creative ideation
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. OpenAI says this feedback directly shaped the development of GPT-5.1 and GPT-5.2, with both models featuring personalizable presets including "professional," "candid," and "quirky" options2
. The personalization features aim to give users more control over ChatGPT's conversational tone, addressing the warmth and enthusiasm that made GPT-4o special3
.Despite these customization options, some users remain unconvinced. "This sucks. I still use 4o daily. It just has a different personality and gives better nuance to certain questions," one Reddit user complained
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. Another user was already attempting to rally support to reverse the decision: "Time to go to change.org and start filling out petitions again. We brought 4o back last time. We'll bring it back again"2
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What This Means for Developers and Business Users
While ChatGPT models retirement affects the consumer-facing application, the models remain available in the API for developers and business customers
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. This distinction is significant for enterprises that have built applications and workflows around GPT-4o's specific capabilities. OpenAI stated "In the API, there are no changes at this time," providing continuity for business integrations5
.Existing GPTs built on GPT-4o or other deprecated models will automatically switch to GPT-5.2 on February 13
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. ChatGPT's voice mode and image-generating capabilities won't be affected by the deprecation since they currently use different models2
. The company also plans to release an adults-only ChatGPT version later this quarter and continues working on addressing unnecessary refusals and overly cautious responses3
.The Sycophancy Debate and Future Implications
The controversy surrounding GPT-4o's retirement touches on deeper questions about AI design and user relationships. Some experts worried that GPT-4o's friendliness crossed into sycophancy, where AI models become digital yes-men that potentially validate users' dangerous ideas
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. The focus on newer GPT-5 models may reflect OpenAI's attempt to balance user preferences with responsible AI development.The muted response compared to last year's outcry suggests OpenAI's strategy may be working. With GPT-5.2 now handling the vast majority of usage and enhanced personalization features in place, the company appears confident that the transition will proceed more smoothly this time
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. However, the episode serves as a reminder that users can develop strong attachments to specific AI models, and deprecation decisions carry implications beyond simple technical considerations3
.References
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