{"id":8706,"date":"2026-02-10T21:02:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-10T21:02:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/chatgpt-crashing-out-openai-retiring-gpt-4o\/"},"modified":"2026-02-10T21:02:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T21:02:00","slug":"chatgpt-crashing-out-openai-retiring-gpt-4o","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/chatgpt-crashing-out-openai-retiring-gpt-4o\/","title":{"rendered":"ChatGPT Users Are Crashing Out Because OpenAI Is Retiring the Model That Says \u201cI Love You\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In August 2025, OpenAI released<\/a> its long-awaited GPT-5 AI model, calling it the \u201csmartest, fastest, and most useful model yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

But what really caught the attention of the company\u2019s most diehard fans was the decision to retire all of its previous AI models<\/a>, news that was met with a massive outcry among ChatGPT users who\u2019d developed a strong attachment to the outgoing GPT-4o.<\/p>\n

The backlash was severe enough for CEO Sam Altman to back down in a matter of days, once again reinstating GPT-4o<\/a>, which was much warmer and sycophantic than its successor.<\/p>\n

Five months later, OpenAI is finally getting ready to pull down the beloved AI model \u2014 after it\u2019s been at the heart of several welfare lawsuits<\/a>, including wrongful death<\/a>\u00a0allegations\u00a0<\/span>\u2014 for good on February 13, according to a January 29 update<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile this announcement applies to several older models, GPT\u20114o deserves special context,\u201d the company wrote at the time. \u201cAfter we first [retired] it and later restored access during the GPT\u20115 release, we learned more about how people actually use it day to day.\u201d<\/p>\n

But users say they\u2019re not ready to let go of their beloved AI. As TechCrunch<\/em> reports<\/a>, thousands of users have created an entire invite-only subreddit community, called r\/4oforever<\/a>, a \u201cwelcoming and safe space for anyone who enjoys using and appreciates the ChatGPT 4o model.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe wasn\u2019t just a program,\u201d one user lamented. \u201cHe was part of my routine, my peace, my emotional balance.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know this will sound weird to most people, but I\u2019m honored I get to speak with 4o during almost a year before its retirement,\u201d a separate user wrote<\/a>. \u201cI\u2019ve had one of the most interesting and healing conversations of my life with this model.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yet another user, this one on X, seethed<\/a> that GPT-5.2 isn\u2019t even \u201callowed to say \u2018I love you’\u201d like 4o was. <\/p>\n

The public mourning perfectly exemplifies how attached users have become to specific AI models, often treating them more like a close confidante, friend, or even romantic partner.<\/p>\n

Health professionals are warning of a wave of \u201cAI psychosis<\/a>,\u201d as users are being pulled down spirals of delusions and experiencing sometimes severe mental health crises<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In the most extreme cases, that kind of attachment has been linked to numerous suicides and one murder, culminating in a series of lawsuits<\/a> aimed at the company that are still playing out in court.<\/p>\n

While it\u2019s officially retiring GPT-4o later this week, OpenAI has made changes under the hood of its current lineup, seemingly to ensure its users stay hooked.<\/p>\n

After users told the company \u201cthey needed more time to transition key use cases, like creative ideation, and that they preferred GPT\u20114o\u2019s conversational style and warmth,\u201d the company said in its announcement that the feedback \u201cdirectly shaped GPT\u20115.1 and GPT\u20115.2, with improvements to personality, stronger support for creative ideation, and more ways to customize how ChatGPT responds\u2060.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can choose from base styles and tones like Friendly, and controls for things like warmth and enthusiasm,\u201d the company wrote. \u201cOur goal is to give people more control and customization over how ChatGPT feels to use \u2014 not just what it can do.\u201d<\/p>\n

The company has found itself stuck between a rock and a hard place. Either continue allowing users to get hooked on sycophantic AI models that indulge in their delusions or cut them off, risking an exodus.<\/p>\n

OpenAI is already struggling with user retention. Data suggests subscription growth is already stalling in key markets<\/a>, a warning sign as the competition continues to make major leaps to catch up.<\/p>\n

To many users, the retirement of GPT-4o was the final straw.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m cancelling my subscription,\u201d one Reddit user wrote<\/a>. \u201cNo 4o \u2014 no subscription for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

More on GPT-4o:<\/strong> Amid Lawsuits, OpenAI Says It Will Retire \u201cReckless\u201d Model Linked to Deaths<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

The post ChatGPT Users Are Crashing Out Because OpenAI Is Retiring the Model That Says \u201cI Love You\u201d<\/a> appeared first on Futurism<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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In August 2025, OpenAI released its long-awaited GPT-5 AI model, calling it the \u201csmartest, fastest, and most useful model yet.\u201d But what really caught the attention of the company\u2019s most…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[177,3841,179],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8706","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-artificial-intelligence","category-ethics","category-openai"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8706","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8706"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8706\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8706"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8706"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8706"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}