OpenAI will retire GPT-4o model from ChatGPT
OpenAI has announced that it is going to retire the beloved GPT-4o model, along with other models from ChatGPT, as it moves forward with its new AI models. The company has given two weeks’ notice to users before banning the old GPT model from its AI chatbot.
In August last year, ChatGPT users were enraged after OpenAI suddenly removed GPT-4O from the chatbot when it released GPT-5. Users missed the friendlier nature of the first model, and after online criticism, the Sam Altman-led AI startup was forced to bring back its beloved AI model. However, OpenAI has now announced that GPT-4o and other older models will be permanently removed from ChatGPT.
In a post on the company’s official website, the company confirmed that it is retiring GPT-4o from ChatGPT along with GPT5 (Instant and Thinking), GPT4.1, GPT4.1 mini, and OpenAI o4-mini. These models will be removed from the chatbot on February 13, 2026. However, OpenAI has no plans to make changes to the API right now.
Why is OpenAI shutting down GPT-4o?
Launched in May 2024, GPT-4o built a loyal following among ChatGPT users for its friendly conversation style and warmth. When the company initially removed this model, it was forced to bring it back. OpenAI reported, “We brought back GPT4o after hearing candid feedback from a subgroup of Plus and Pro users who told us they needed more time to transition to key use cases like creative ideation, and that they preferred GPT4o’s conversational style and warmth.”
However, as user preferences evolved, support for GPT-4o began to wane. OpenAI reported that only “about 0.1% of users choose GPT-4o daily,” while “GPT-5.2, which has become the default model for most daily tasks.” The company stressed that “It’s never easy to retire a model, but it allows us to focus on improving the models most people use today.”
Users can still get a familiar experience with the new OpenAI model
Following the August debacle, OpenAI launched “controls for things like base style and tone, like friendliness, and warmth and enthusiasm” for new AI models. The company said this allowed users to get the familiar sensation of a digital companion that they would have had with GPT-4o. This would have made it easier for users to switch to the new model.
At the time, Sam Altman promised that the company would give “plenty of notice” before making any permanent decisions regarding the future of the model. The company says that retiring older models will allow it to focus on improving the models that are most used today.
