OpenAI has announced that it will retire several ChatGPT AI models, including the popular GPT-4o, next month. According to the company, it wants to focus on newer versions of GPT-5, which most users currently use.
The artificial intelligence firm stated that it will discontinue GPT-4o from ChatGPT on February 13, along with GPT-4.1, GPT-4.1 mini, and OpenAI o4-mini. This is because the company realized that user behavior has changed, with most people using GPT-5.2 for their daily needs. OpenAI launched GPT-4o in May 2024. The model was designed to convey a more natural, human feel in chat sessions. It had a warmer tone compared to other ChatGPT models and attracted people seeking a more expressive, creative experience.
OpenAI to retire GPT-4O as users prefer newer models
The way the GPT-4o was designed helped OpenAI attract a loyal group of Plus and Pro users. These users used the model for ideas, writing, and brainstorming, and reported that it was easier to talk to and better for open-ended work than what was available at the time. However, over time, users’ interactions with ChatGPT have evolved.
According to OpenAI, “about 0.1% of users choose GPT-4o daily,” with most users now using “GPT-5.2, which has become the default model for most daily tasks.” Considering that very few people are using GPT-4o these days, OpenAI claims that supporting this model distracts from efforts to improve the models most people actually use.
The time and resources used to support these older models can instead be devoted to improving the newer models, making them faster, more reliable, and easier to use. By discontinuing GPT-4o and other less frequently used models, OpenAI claims it can devote more effort to improving the performance, reliability, and creativity of its new models, especially amid increasing demand for better AI tools.
The company further noted that GPT-5.2 delivers more powerful creative output and greater control over the model’s personality. Users can also fine-tune the GPT-5.2 model’s response. As a result, the need to maintain the older versions of the model, such as the GPT-4o, is reduced. Despite GPT-4o’s presence in the market, OpenAI has been paying close attention to the feedback it has been receiving.
According to the firm, these feedbacks were used to make subsequent versions even better. The focus has been on refining GPT-5.1 and GPT-5.2 in terms of tone, creativity, and conversational style. The company states that the new versions allow users to adjust ChatGPT’s personality, letting people control the level of warmth or enthusiasm in the chat rather than being stuck with a single default setting.
