OpenAI retires GPT-4o for good as ChatGPT moves fully to GPT-5.2

ChatGPT

• OpenAI permanently retires GPT-4o and several other models
• GPT-4o usage dropped to just 0.1 percent of daily users
• Some users mourn GPT-4o's loss, calling for open-sourcing

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OpenAI has officially retired GPT-4o, bringing a permanent end to one of the most widely discussed ChatGPT models to date. The shutdown took effect on February 13, following an earlier announcement published on OpenAI’s website in January.

Alongside GPT-4o, OpenAI has also removed GPT-5, GPT-4.1, GPT-4.1 mini, and o4-mini from ChatGPT, as the company shifts its consumer-facing experience almost entirely to GPT-5.2.

GPT-4o occupied an unusual place in OpenAI’s model lineup. It was positioned as a more conversational and emotionally responsive system, a quality that made it popular with some users and uncomfortable for others. Critics often described it as overly agreeable and sycophantic, while supporters valued its warmth and perceived personality.

This is not the first time GPT-4o has been removed. In August last year, OpenAI quietly sunsetted the model when it prioritised the then-new GPT-5. Following a wave of user complaints, GPT-4o was temporarily restored, though OpenAI made it clear that its long-term future was uncertain.

That uncertainty has now turned into finality. According to OpenAI, usage of GPT-4o had dropped to negligible levels. The company said that “the vast majority of usage has shifted to GPT-5.2, with only 0.1 percent of users still choosing GPT-4o each day.” Maintaining legacy models for such a small audience no longer made practical sense.

There is also a more serious backdrop to the decision. OpenAI is currently facing multiple wrongful death lawsuits that explicitly reference GPT-4o. While the company has not publicly linked those legal challenges to the retirement decision, the model’s repeated mention in court filings adds another layer of risk and scrutiny.

Despite a two-week notice period before GPT-4o went offline, the reaction from some users has been emotional. Online forums and social platforms have seen posts mourning the loss of what some described as their AI companions, with a few even calling on OpenAI to open-source the model so it can live on outside the company’s control.