The company revived GPT-4o last year following user backlash to GPT-5. But now that people have cozied up to GPT-5.2, OpenAI is ready to retire the older model for good.<\/b>
\nFans 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 also went out of its way to explain the decision, noting that the \u201cvast majority of usage has shifted to GPT\u20115.2, with only 0.1% of users still choosing GPT\u20114o each day.\u201d
\u201cWe brought GPT\u20114o back after hearing clear feedback from a subset of Plus and Pro users, who told us they needed more time to transition key use cases, like creative ideation, and that they preferred GPT\u20114o\u2019s conversational style and warmth,\u201d the blog post says.
But while GPT-4o was being offered, OpenAI was also taking user feedback to shape GPT-5.1 and 5.2, which the company seems confident is satisfying customers. The blog post also notes that users can customize ChatGPT\u2019s personality to add \u201cwarmth and enthusiasm\u201d in its responses. \u201cOur goal is to give people more control and customization over how ChatGPT feels to use\u2014not just what it can do,\u201d the company added.
We\u2019ll have to wait and see if there\u2019s any backlash. But some users are already pointing out that OpenAI is killing off the beloved GPT-4o the day before Valentine\u2019s Day.
GPT-4o was first retired in August when OpenAI released GPT-5, which promised better performance for ChatGPT. But the company quickly reversed course after some users complained that GPT-5 was a downgrade and that GPT-4o possessed a \u201cwarmth and understanding\u201d that was absent in the newer model.
The controversy also sparked concerns over whether GPT-4o was too sycophantic, and how AI chatbots can foster deep, and potentially unhealthy, attachments with users. \u201cOh boy, can’t wait to read all the breakdown posts,\u201d wrote one Reddit user about GPT-4o\u2019s imminent shutdown. In the meantime, OpenAI says it’s continuing to improve the personality and creativity of its AI models, including \u201caddressing unnecessary refusals and overly cautious or preachy responses, with updates coming soon.\u201d
On Feb. 13, the company will also retire GPT\u20114.1, GPT\u20114.1 mini, and OpenAI o4-mini and GPT-5 from ChatGPT. But it looks like OpenAI will still be serving the models to developers and business customers through its API. The company also plans on releasing an adults-only ChatGPT version later this quarter.
Disclosure: Ziff Davis, PCMag’s parent company, filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in April 2025, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.<\/p>\n