OpenAI retires several models
OpenAI removed several model variants—GPT-4o, GPT-4.1, GPT-4.1 mini, o4-mini and GPT‑5 variants—from ChatGPT, while saying API access remains unchanged. The help‑center note also says Business, Enterprise and Edu customers keep GPT‑4o access within custom GPTs and projects. (help.openai.com)
OpenAI has removed several older model options from ChatGPT, ending direct access to GPT-4o, GPT-4.1, GPT-4.1 mini, o4-mini, and two GPT-5 variants in the chat app. (help.openai.com) The company’s help center says the change took effect on February 13, 2026, and applies to ChatGPT, not to the OpenAI application programming interface, where those models remain available. (help.openai.com) The retired ChatGPT options include GPT-5 Instant and GPT-5 Thinking, according to the same notice, alongside GPT-4o, GPT-4.1, GPT-4.1 mini, and OpenAI o4-mini. (help.openai.com) OpenAI has been narrowing the model picker while adding newer defaults. In March, its release notes said GPT-5.4 mini would not appear as a selectable model and GPT-5 Thinking mini would be retired as a selectable option within 30 days. (help.openai.com) That shift separates ChatGPT from the developer platform more clearly. ChatGPT users increasingly get a smaller set of curated choices, while developers still get direct model access through the application programming interface and model docs. (help.openai.com) (developers.openai.com) OpenAI had introduced GPT-4.1, GPT-4.1 mini, and GPT-4.1 nano for developers on April 14, 2025, saying the family improved coding, instruction following, and long-context work over GPT-4o and GPT-4o mini. (openai.com) For workplace customers, the retirement happened in two steps. OpenAI said Business, Enterprise, and Edu customers kept GPT-4o inside custom GPTs until April 3, 2026, after which GPT-4o was fully retired across all plans. (help.openai.com 1) (help.openai.com 2) OpenAI’s enterprise release notes show the company is still adding specialized models in ChatGPT even as it removes older ones. On April 2, 2026, OpenAI said it was bringing GPT-4.1 directly into ChatGPT Enterprise because customers wanted a coding-focused option. (help.openai.com) The result is a simpler public-facing menu and a longer tail of models for builders. OpenAI’s message to customers is that retired ChatGPT choices can disappear from the app even when the same underlying models remain for paid developers through the application programming interface. (help.openai.com 1) (help.openai.com 2)
