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ChatGPT Reverses Key Feature for Millions
16 Dec, 2025
Summary
- Model router directing users to advanced AI is now optional.
- Free and Go users default to faster, cheaper GPT-5.2 Instant.
- Router's change impacted daily active users negatively.
OpenAI has reverted a major alteration affecting millions of ChatGPT users by rolling back its automated model router. This system, designed to direct complex queries to more advanced reasoning models, is no longer the default for users on the Free and $5-a-month Go tiers. These users will now utilize GPT-5.2 Instant, OpenAI's quickest and most cost-effective model, with advanced options available only through manual selection.
The model router's discontinuation comes after a four-month trial, implemented to unify user experience with the launch of GPT-5. It analyzed user prompts, deciding between fast, cheap models and slower, more expensive ones. While intended to provide smarter AI assistance, the router significantly increased reasoning model usage among free users, raising operational costs for OpenAI and reportedly impacting daily active user metrics negatively.
Sources suggest that consumers prioritize speed over processing time, even for superior answers, aligning with the fast-response nature of general consumer chatbots. The move back to a simpler model selection reflects a strategic adjustment by OpenAI to balance user engagement, operational costs, and the overall performance of its widely used AI platform.
