OpenAI has announced it will retire several older AI models from ChatGPT on February 13, 2026, including the much-loved GPT-4o, as well as GPT-4.1, GPT-4.1 mini, and OpenAI o4-mini. This move has sparked disappointment among a dedicated group of superfans who relied on GPT-4o for its distinctive personality, customization options, and creative responses. Despite its loyal following, OpenAI revealed that only about 0.1% of users selected GPT-4o daily, with the vast majority having migrated to the newer GPT-5.2 model, which is now the default option in ChatGPT.
OpenAI began phasing out GPT-4o shortly after releasing GPT-5 last August, when it removed the model from the model picker with minimal notice, prompting some user backlash. CEO Sam Altman had promised to provide ample notice before retiring any models, but the final decision underscores the company’s intent to streamline its AI offerings by focusing resources on advancing and maintaining its latest models. According to OpenAI, recent improvements in AI personality traits, customization features, and creative capabilities in newer models have positioned them to fully replace GPT-4o and its related versions.
While the retirement marks the end of an era for superfans who valued the unique experience GPT-4o provided, it also reflects the broader industry trend toward continually evolving AI platforms designed to deliver enhanced performance and innovation. OpenAI continues to support legacy model access for enterprise and education users as part of this transition.
