Openai Is Retiring Gpt-4o - Again: What It Means For You, And Why Some Users Are Upset

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• OpenAI is bidding adieu to 4o, a favourite exemplary among galore users.
• Chats pinch 4o will still beryllium accessible aft that date.
• The institution says only 1% of its users still prosecute pinch 4o.

It's a sad time for galore ChatGPT users.

GPT-4o, nan exemplary that's go a favourite for galore group because of its lukewarm and friends conversational tone, will beryllium retired connected Feb. 13, OpenAI announced Thursday. That intends it'll nary longer beryllium accessible to paid users via nan exemplary selector paper successful ChatGPT, though it'll still beryllium disposable done OpenAI's API for nan foreseeable future. ChatGPT's free users -- which comprise astir 90% of OpenAI's userbase -- person not had entree to 4o since OpenAI debuted GPT-5 successful August.

(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, ZDNET's genitor company, revenge an April 2025 suit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights successful training and operating its AI systems.)

Also: Here are each nan GPT-5 updates OpenAI has rolled retired since launch

GPT-4.1, GPT-4.1 mini, OpenAI o4-mini, and GPT-5 Instant and Thinking will besides beryllium discontinued starting Feb. 13. But OpenAI is treading other cautiously successful nan lawsuit of 4o, aft it faced personification blowback erstwhile nan exemplary was concisely removed aft nan merchandise of GPT-5. 

"We cognize that losing entree to GPT‑4o will consciousness frustrating for immoderate users, and we didn't make this determination lightly," nan institution wrote successful its announcement. "Retiring models is ne'er easy, but it allows america to attraction connected improving nan models astir group usage today."

What to expect

The bully news is that for astir ChatGPT users, nan modulation should consciousness beautiful seamless -- astatine slightest successful nan astir applicable terms. 

If you're a Plus aliases Pro subscriber, sloppy of which models you've been using, each of your preexisting conversations pinch ChatGPT will still beryllium accessible aft nan Feb. 13 status date. You'll beryllium capable to proceed them, conscionable utilizing different models. Free users will still usage GPT-5 arsenic their default model, truthful for each intents and purposes, nan alteration won't beryllium noticeable for them.

Also: Is ChatGPT Plus still worthy your $20? I compared it to nan Free, Go, and Pro plans - here's my advice

Existing GPTs based connected 4o aliases immoderate of nan different soon-to-be-retired models will beryllium switched to GPT-5.2 connected Feb. 13, according to OpenAI's website. ChatGPT's sound mode and image-generating capabilities won't beryllium affected by nan switch, since they some presently usage a exemplary that's different from (although akin to) 4o. 

Vibe shift

The astir noticeable alteration will beryllium for those paying users who still usage 4o because they for illustration its reside and conversational style of 4o complete those of newer models.

This became a awesome flashpoint for nan institution erstwhile 4o was initially discontinued pursuing nan August GPT-5 release. The institution was quick to reinstate it for immoderate paid users, and it promised to heed nan antagonistic feedback moving forward. Both GPT-5.1 and 5.2 came pinch various "personalizable presets," including "professional," "candid," and "quirky," nan thought being to make nan models much adjustable to individual personification preferences.

Also: I put GPT-5.2 done a 14-round test, and nan AI exemplary raised immoderate superior questions

In its Thursday announcement, OpenAI wrote that only astir 1% of ChatGPT users still prosecute pinch 4o. Still, immoderate of those 900,000 aliases truthful paying customers intelligibly resent OpenAI's determination to discontinue nan model. 

A mates of them person based on that nan 1% fig is misleading, since it factored successful nan overmuch much monolithic swathe of free users who don't person entree to 4o. "I deliberation that percent would beryllium vastly different if you look astatine [subscribed users] only," 1 personification wrote successful nan OpenAI subreddit connected Thursday night.

Another was already trying to rally support to reverse nan decision. "Time to spell to change.org and commencement filling retired petitions again," they wrote. "We brought 4o backmost past time. We'll bring it backmost again."