OpenAI to retire GPT-4o, three other models from ChatGPT in February

OpenAI said it will retire GPT-4o, GPT-4.1, GPT-4.1 mini and OpenAI o4-mini from ChatGPT on February 13, as the company consolidates usage around its newer GPT-5 models and accelerates product upgrades focused on personalisation and creative capabilities.

The move comes alongside the previously announced retirement of GPT-5 Instant and GPT-5 Thinking. OpenAI said there will be no changes to its application programming interface at this time.

GPT-4o, once one of OpenAI’s flagship models, is being phased out after usage shifted sharply to GPT-5.2. The company said “the vast majority of usage has shifted to GPT-5.2, with only 0.1% of users still choosing GPT-4o each day.”

The company acknowledged that GPT-4o had retained a loyal user base even after its earlier depreciation. OpenAI said it restored access to the model following feedback from Plus and Pro subscribers who “told us they needed more time to transition key use cases, like creative ideation, and that they preferred GPT-4o’s conversational style and warmth.”

"That 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,” the company said. Users can now select base styles and tones such as Friendly, along with controls for warmth and enthusiasm.

The company said it is also working to address broader concerns around how ChatGPT behaves, including refining personality and creativity while reducing “unnecessary refusals and overly cautious or preachy responses.”

OpenAI added that it is making progress toward “a version of ChatGPT designed for adults over 18, grounded in the principle of treating adults like adults and expanding user choice and freedom within appropriate safeguards.”

As part of that effort, OpenAI said it has rolled out age prediction for users under 18 in most markets.

OpenAI acknowledged that the retirement of GPT-4o may frustrate some users. “We know that losing access to GPT-4o will feel frustrating for some users, and we didn’t make this decision lightly,” the company said. “Retiring models is never easy, but it allows us to focus on improving the models most people use today.”