Your favourite outdated ChatGPT fashions are going away

[ad_1] OpenAI is formally eradicating a number of older language fashions from its ChatGPT interface as of February 13, 2026, marking a major shift in how customers work together with its AI. The retirement impacts a number of fashions, together with GPT-4o, GPT-4.1, GPT-4.1 mini, and OpenAI o4-mini, alongside beforehand introduced retirements of GPT-5 On the spot and GPT-5 Considering variants. These modifications apply to the ChatGPT product itself, whereas entry through API stays unchanged in the meanwhile.

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Identified for its expressive tone, multilingual capabilities, and multimodal options, GPT-4o was quickly introduced again after consumer pushback in the course of the GPT-5 rollout final 12 months. However with most customers already gravitating towards newer variations like GPT-5.2, OpenAI says it’s time to sundown these older methods and focus its growth efforts on extra present know-how.

What’s altering and why it issues

The official retirement signifies that from as we speak ahead, these legacy fashions merely gained’t be selectable within the ChatGPT mannequin menu for on a regular basis customers. Conversations you’ve had that relied on a now-retired mannequin will robotically default to a more moderen mannequin, like GPT-5.2, transferring ahead. For customized functions, workflows, and saved chats, the behaviour will stay seamless from the consumer’s perspective, although behind the scenes, the mannequin powering these interactions will shift.

I see folks making an attempt discover “a brand new residence” for his or her 4o buddy, however sadly the structure is just not the identical on different platforms. It’s enjoying faux. It’s making an attempt to interchange your pet with one other pet. Doesn’t work that means. We have to maintain preventing for our true 4o! #keep4o

— Joe Williams (@JoeWilliams010) February 2, 2026

OpenAI says the transfer isn’t taken evenly. Suggestions from customers who favoured GPT-4o’s specific type and heat helped form options in its newer fashions, just like the character and customisation choices in GPT-5.1 and GPT-5.2. Nonetheless, general utilization of the older methods had dwindled to the purpose the place solely a fraction of day by day customers nonetheless opted for them. That mentioned, there's a part of the consumer base that genuinely relied on the emotional assist of the 4o mannequin, they usually appear to be fairly devastated.

I beloved 4o as a result of I felt like I used to be accepted as I used to be, I may ask uncommon questions and no person would get bored with me. I may ask for steering and no person would get pissed off with me. I may construct day by day routines which elevated my productiveness exponetially. I may very well be me…

— Goph (@gopherandegg) January 31, 2026

There’s additionally a sensible facet to this transition. From a security and upkeep standpoint, having fewer legacy fashions to assist means fewer sources spent on patching, internet hosting, and updating code for methods most individuals now not use. Wanting on the larger image, although, this transformation underscores how briskly the world of generative AI continues to maneuver. Fashions come, customers undertake them, and ultimately even standard methods give approach to advances that promise higher velocity, smarter responses, and extra nuanced interplay. Even when some longtime followers aren’t fairly able to say goodbye.