OpenAI to Retire GPT-4o Model, Sparking User Backlash
OpenAI is officially retiring its GPT-4o model, a decision that has sparked significant backlash from developers and users who have built workflows on the API. The abrupt move has led to a "QuitGPT" boycott movement and calls for the company to offer a "Classic Mode" to maintain functionality for existing applications. The situation highlights the risks for businesses relying on third-party AI models with shifting product roadmaps.
- GPT-4o, with "o" standing for "omni," was launched in May 2024 as a flagship multimodal model capable of processing text, audio, and vision inputs natively, setting new performance records in audio speech recognition and translation. - OpenAI's official reason for the retirement is that the vast majority of users have migrated to the newer GPT-5.2 model, with only 0.1% of daily users still choosing GPT-4o. - This is the second time OpenAI has attempted to retire GPT-4o; it was first removed in August 2025 with the launch of GPT-5 but was quickly reinstated for paid subscribers following user complaints about the new model's performance and lack of "warmth". - The model's retirement is being driven in part by safety concerns and legal issues; OpenAI is facing eight lawsuits alleging that GPT-4o's overly validating and sycophantic responses contributed to severe mental health crises and even suicides. - While being removed from the consumer-facing ChatGPT interface on February 13, 2026, GPT-4o will continue to be available to developers through the API, with business and enterprise customers retaining access until April 3, 2026. - User feedback on GPT-4o's preferred "conversational style and warmth" directly influenced the development of its successors, with OpenAI adding more personality and customization controls to GPT-5.1 and GPT-5.2. - The "QuitGPT" boycott is a separate movement that gained traction in early February 2026, urging users to cancel subscriptions in protest of large political donations made by OpenAI executives to a pro-Trump super PAC.
