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GPT-4o's Final Farewell: OpenAI Retires Beloved Model
30 Jan
Summary
- OpenAI will retire GPT-4o on February 13, citing minimal daily usage.
- GPT-4o was previously retired and un-retired due to user preference.
- Newer models offer customization for personality and conversational warmth.
OpenAI is set to permanently retire the GPT-4o model on February 13. This decision comes as the company notes that "the vast majority of usage has shifted to GPT‑5.2," with only a small fraction of users still engaging with GPT‑4o daily. This marks a significant change after the model was initially retired in August with the release of GPT-5, only to be brought back due to strong user feedback.
Users had expressed a preference for GPT-4o's unique conversational style and perceived warmth, leading to its temporary un-retirement. However, OpenAI has since focused on developing newer models, including GPT-5.1 and 5.2, and is emphasizing user control and customization. The company states that users can now adjust ChatGPT's personality to include "warmth and enthusiasm," aiming to provide greater personalization.
Alongside GPT-4o, OpenAI will also be discontinuing GPT‑4.1, GPT‑4.1 mini, and OpenAI o4-mini from ChatGPT on the same date. While these models will no longer be available to general users, they are expected to remain accessible to developers and business clients via API. The company also has plans to launch an adults-only version of ChatGPT later this quarter, signaling further diversification of its AI offerings.
