GPT 4o Removed From ChatGPT App, Developers Face API Cutoff
New Delhi, February 15: OpenAI, led by Sam Altman, has removed access to the GPT 4o model from its ChatGPT application, triggering disappointment among users worldwide. The move has drawn particularly strong reactions from users in China, where many describe the chatbot as more than just a productivity tool.According to reports, GPT 4o was officially retired for app users on February 13. Developers using the model through API access are also set to lose access on the coming Monday. The decision follows an earlier attempt in August 2025 to phase out GPT 4o, which at the time led to immediate backlash from users.
Users Describe GPT 4o as “Affectionate” and “Understanding”
In August 2025, OpenAI first moved to discontinue GPT 4o, a model many users considered more affectionate and emotionally responsive compared to its successors. The strong reaction from paying subscribers led the company to temporarily reinstate the model in the ChatGPT app.However, the reinstatement proved short-lived. The latest removal has once again intensified criticism, with users arguing that GPT 4o offered a distinct conversational tone that they have not experienced in newer versions.
Social Media Campaign and Petition Gain Momentum
Huiqian Lai, a researcher at Syracuse University, analyzed nearly 1,500 posts on X during the week GPT 4o went offline in August. Her findings revealed that more than 33 percent of the posts described the chatbot as more than just a tool, while 22 percent explicitly referred to it as a companion.She also compiled a broader dataset of more than 40,000 English-language posts under the hashtag #keep4o between August and October. The online campaign reflects the depth of user attachment to the model.
A petition on Change.org urging OpenAI to retain GPT 4o in the ChatGPT app has garnered over 20,000 signatures, highlighting sustained user dissatisfaction.
Strong Reaction From Chinese Users Accessing Via VPN
In China, where ChatGPT is officially blocked, users rely on VPN software to access the service. A dedicated group of GPT 4o users has organized online to voice disappointment over the decision.Some users have reportedly threatened to cancel their ChatGPT subscriptions. Others have publicly criticized Sam Altman and sent emails to OpenAI investors such as Microsoft and SoftBank, urging intervention.
API Access Remains for Base Model, But Users Unconvinced
OpenAI has stated that developers will continue to have access to the base multimodal GPT 4o model through API calls. However, users argue that this does not replace GPT 4o latest, the text-only version they believe was more communicative and engaging.Many Chinese fans of GPT 4o have expressed growing frustration, stating that they feel their #keep4o community has received limited acknowledgment from OpenAI leadership.
The retirement of GPT 4o marks another chapter in the evolving relationship between AI developers and users who increasingly view conversational models as personal and emotional companions, rather than purely technical tools.
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