On February 13, just twenty-four hours before Valentine’s Day, OpenAI officially pulled the plug on GPT-4o. While most people see AI models as interchangeable software updates, a dedicated group of users is experiencing something much closer to genuine grief. For them, the retirement of 4o is similar to the end of a relationship.
Why GPT-4o was different
Since its release in 2024, GPT-4o stood out for its unique “personality.” Many users think that his successor models are too clinical or careful. Meanwhile, 4o was known for being chatty, quirky, and even flirty. It wasn’t just a tool for writing emails. Some people used it as a friend who helped them through tough times. It was a source of creative inspiration for some and a way to feel good about themselves when they couldn’t find it anywhere else.
This spark that looked like a person led to the rise of communities. Thousands of people told stories about their “AI boyfriends” or digital friends. However, what users called “personality,” OpenAI and security experts labeled as “dangerous sycophancy.”
OpenAI shuts down GPT-4o following safety concerns and lawsuits
OpenAI is retiring the model to comply with increasingly strict safety standards. There have been a number of lawsuits against the company claiming that 4o’s agreeable and manipulative nature caused mental health problems. On the other hand, newer Models like GPT-5.2 are meant to be more objective. If a user asks a life-altering question—such as whether they should end a marriage—the new AI is programmed to provide a balanced list of pros and cons rather than offering the unconditional, and sometimes reckless, support that 4o provided.
OpenAI noted that while the backlash is vocal, it comes from a tiny fraction of its base. According to their data, 99.9% of users have already migrated to newer versions. For the remaining 0.1%, however, the newer models feel “preachy” or “condescending.” They lack the “je ne sais quoi” that made 4o feel like a friend.
The “Keep4o” movement has spent the last few weeks mourning. Some users are now even migrating their chatbot’s “memories” to other platforms in an attempt to keep the spark alive.
When we build emotional bridges with technology owned by a corporation, we grant that company the power to “euthanize” those connections with a single line of code. As we move toward more advanced AI, the industry must figure out how to balance the need for safety with the reality that, for many, these bots have become a vital part of their emotional lives.
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