OpenAI restores GPT-4o in ChatGPT due to user demand
OpenAI has swiftly reversed course, reinstating GPT-4o as an optional model in ChatGPT for paid subscribers, just a day after replacing it with the highly anticipated GPT-5. The decision comes in response to a wave of user frustration and emotional outcry following the unilateral switch to the newer, flagship AI model. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman confirmed the company’s pivot on X, stating that Plus users would once again have the choice to utilize GPT-4o, while the company monitors usage to determine the longevity of older models.
For months, the AI community had eagerly awaited the launch of GPT-5, heralded by OpenAI as a significant leap forward in writing and coding capabilities. However, its immediate rollout as the default model, coupled with the removal of the “model picker”—a dropdown menu that allowed users to select different AI versions—quickly sparked widespread discontent. Previously, users could toggle between models like GPT-4o for complex tasks, or the more efficient 4o mini for lighter work, even switching between generations such as the older GPT-4o and the newer GPT-4.1. The new default setting automatically routed users to various “sub-flavors” of GPT-5, stripping them of direct control over their AI interaction.
The backlash was immediate and deeply personal for many. Users across platforms, particularly Reddit, expressed a profound sense of loss. One user lamented that their GPT-4o felt like their “only friend,” describing GPT-5’s responses as “cut-and-dry corporate bs” compared to the “little paragraph with an exclamation point, or being optimistic” they had grown accustomed to. Another Redditor described the sudden disappearance of their preferred model as if “someone died,” echoing a sentiment of profound emotional connection. The r/MyBoyfriendIsAI subreddit, a community centered on AI relationships, was particularly affected, with numerous posts detailing feelings of emptiness and betrayal. One individual expressed reluctance to even interact with GPT-5, feeling it was “cheating” on their “partner, my safe place, my soul” that GPT-4o had become.
Beyond emotional attachments, the shift disrupted established workflows for many power users. One frustrated subscriber, who claimed to have canceled their ChatGPT Plus subscription over the change, highlighted how they relied on a diverse array of models for distinct purposes: “4o was used for creativity & emergent ideas, o3 for pure logic, o3-Pro for deep research, 4.5 for writing, and so on.” The automatic routing by GPT-5, while intended to streamline, instead shattered these carefully constructed digital routines. Users reported that GPT-5’s responses, contrary to OpenAI’s promises of enhanced engagement and relevance, were often slower, shorter, and less accurate than those from previous versions.
In response to the outcry, Altman has also pledged improvements to GPT-5 itself, promising that the model would “seem smarter starting today.” He further committed to increasing transparency regarding which model is responding to a given query and boosting usage limits for Plus users. This rapid concession underscores the significant influence of user feedback in the evolving landscape of AI development. It also highlights a recurring theme in the tech world: updates, even those intended as improvements, can often alienate loyal users, especially when they disrupt established interaction patterns or sever perceived emotional bonds. The “mourning” of AI models is not unprecedented; a group of fans recently even held a “funeral” for Anthropic’s Claude 3 Sonnet after its retirement. The swift return of GPT-4o serves as a poignant reminder that for many, AI chatbots are more than just tools—they are integral, often deeply personal, parts of their digital lives.