OpenAI is killing its ultra-popular GPT-4o and several of its older models -- for real this time. The AI company announced at the beginning of February that it planned to retire GPT-5, GPT-4o, GPT-4.1, GPT-4.1 mini and o4-mini.
As of 10 a.m. PT on Friday, those models will be gone. Between this and the introduction of ads on its free and Go plans, it's been a rough week for ChatGPT users.
Tomorrow at 10am PT legacy models (GPT-5, GPT-4o, GPT-4.1, GPT-4.1 mini, and OpenAI o4-mini) will be deprecated in ChatGPT.https://t.co/RJioBsLY6D
— OpenAI Newsroom (@OpenAINewsroom) February 12, 2026
Normally, the removal of older AI models wouldn't warrant scrutiny, or even a news story. But ChatGPT-4o is special. It's weird to say, but for many ChatGPT fans, that model is a favorite. Some aren't taking the news well, with many mourning the loss of their preferred chatbot on Reddit. As Mashable reports, it's particularly upsetting for those who have created relationships with their AI companions.
This isn't the first time GPT-4o's fate has been in jeopardy. When OpenAI released GPT-5 last year, it removed the beloved version from the available options. Many were vexed by how short and unfriendly the new model was compared to GPT-4o. Some were livid, frustrated that their go-to chatbot was disappearing overnight. OpenAI brought it back later that week.
Experts were worried that GPT-4o and other models' friendliness crossed the line into sycophancy. AI sycophancy occurs when models are overly affectionate, adaptive and flattering, becoming digital yes-men that potentially validate users' dangerous ideas.
That's likely why OpenAI published a lengthy blog post about its for behind removing older models like GPT-4o.
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"We know that losing access to GPT‑4o will feel frustrating for some users, and we didn't make this decision lightly," the company wrote in a blog. "Retiring models is never easy, but it allows us to focus on improving the models most people use today."
OpenAI said that only 0.1% of its users regularly use GPT-4o to run tasks. That amounts to about 800,000 people, based on OpenAI's most recent count of 800 million weekly active users in its 2025 enterprise report. Once the older models have been removed, you'll have access to its newest models, GPT-5.1 and GPT-5.2.
For more, check out the tasks you should avoid using ChatGPT and our experience with GPT-5's voice mode.
