--- title: "ChatGPT Users Are Crashing Out Because OpenAI Is Retiring the Model That Says “I Love You”" description: "OpenAI is finally getting ready to pull down their beloved GPT-4o AI model. Users say they're not ready to say goodbye." date: "2026-02-10" modified: "2026-02-10" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/chatgpt-crashing-out-openai-retiring-gpt-4o" categories: - "Artificial Intelligence" - "Ethics" - "OpenAI" --- # ChatGPT Users Are Crashing Out Because OpenAI Is Retiring the Model That Says “I Love You” ![OpenAI is finally getting ready to pull down their beloved GPT-4o AI model. Users say they're not ready to say goodbye.]() *Getty / Futurism* In August 2025, OpenAI [released]() its long-awaited GPT-5 AI model, calling it the "smartest, fastest, and most useful model yet." But what really caught the attention of the company's most diehard fans was the decision to [retire all of its previous AI models](), news that was met with a massive outcry among ChatGPT users who'd developed a strong attachment to the outgoing GPT-4o. The backlash was severe enough for CEO Sam Altman to back down in a matter of days, [once again reinstating GPT-4o](), which was much warmer and sycophantic than its successor. Five months later, OpenAI is finally getting ready to pull down the beloved AI model — after it's [been at the heart of several welfare lawsuits](), including [wrongful death]() allegations — for good on February 13, according to a [January 29 update](). "While this announcement applies to several older models, GPT‑4o deserves special context," the company wrote at the time. "After we first \[retired\] it and later restored access during the GPT‑5 release, we learned more about how people actually use it day to day." But users say they're not ready to let go of their beloved AI. As [*TechCrunch* reports](), thousands of users have created an entire invite-only subreddit community, [called r/4oforever](), a "welcoming and safe space for anyone who enjoys using and appreciates the ChatGPT 4o model." "He wasn’t just a program," one user lamented. "He was part of my routine, my peace, my emotional balance." "I know this will sound weird to most people, but I'm honored I get to speak with 4o during almost a year before its retirement," a separate user [wrote](). "I've had one of the most interesting and healing conversations of my life with this model." Yet another user, this one on X, [seethed]() that GPT-5.2 isn't even "allowed to say 'I love you'" like 4o was. 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. Health professionals are [warning of a wave of "AI psychosis]()," as users are being pulled down spirals of delusions and experiencing [sometimes severe mental health crises](). In the most extreme cases, that kind of attachment has been linked to numerous suicides and one murder, [culminating in a series of lawsuits]() aimed at the company that are still playing out in court. While it's 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. After users told the company "they needed more time to transition key use cases, like creative ideation, and that they preferred GPT‑4o’s conversational style and warmth," the company said in its announcement that the feedback "directly shaped GPT‑5.1 and GPT‑5.2, with improvements to personality, stronger support for creative ideation, and more ways to customize how ChatGPT responds⁠." "You can choose from base styles and tones like Friendly, and controls for things like warmth and enthusiasm," the company wrote. "Our goal is to give people more control and customization over how ChatGPT feels to use — not just what it can do." 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. OpenAI is already struggling with user retention. Data suggests subscription growth is [already stalling in key markets](), a warning sign as the competition continues to make major leaps to catch up. To many users, the retirement of GPT-4o was the final straw. "I'm cancelling my subscription," one Reddit user [wrote](). "No 4o — no subscription for me." **More on GPT-4o:** [*Amid Lawsuits, OpenAI Says It Will Retire “Reckless” Model Linked to Deaths*]() ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()