OpenAI is retiring GPT-4o - again: What it means for you, and why some users are upset

OpenAI is retiring GPT-4o and several other models from ChatGPT on Feb. 13, while keeping past chats accessible and shifting existing GPTs built on those models to GPT-5.2; API access to 4o will remain for now. Free users are largely unaffected as they already use GPT-5, and voice/image features are unchanged. OpenAI cites low usage (about 1%) for 4o and aims to focus on newer models, though some paying users object to the retirement due to 4o’s preferred conversational style.