OpenAI gives ChatGPT models the chop – two weeks' notice, take it or leave it
(2026/01/30)
- Reference: 1769777993
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2026/01/30/openai_gpt_deprecations/
- Source link:
OpenAI is sunsetting some of its ChatGPT models next month, a move it knows "will feel frustrating for some users."
GPT‑4o, GPT‑4.1, GPT‑4.1 mini, and OpenAI o4-mini are on the way out on February 13, alongside GPT-5 (Instant and Thinking). The [1]retirements apply to ChatGPT. "In the API, there are no changes at this time," the company stated.
Coming soon: We interrupt this ChatGPT session with a very special message from our sponsors [2]READ MORE
It isn't the first time OpenAI has attempted to pull the plug on GPT-4o – the model was deprecated last year following the rollout of GPT-5. However, the [3]subsequent outcry resulted in a U-turn, and OpenAI restored both the model and the ability to select it.
According to OpenAI, users "preferred GPT‑4o's conversational style and warmth," prompting it to tweak subsequent releases. Most usage is now on GPT-5.2, with only 0.1 percent of users choosing GPT-4o each day.
[4]OpenAI's ChatGPT is so popular that almost no one will pay for it
[5]Anthropic CEO bloviates for 20,000+ words in thinly veiled plea against regulation
[6]OpenAI will try to guess your age before ChatGPT gets spicy
[7]OpenAI is still figuring out how to make money, but wants you to believe in it
After the furor, OpenAI boss Sam Altman [8]said of GPT-4o : "If we ever do deprecate it, we will give plenty of notice." Confirmation of the latest changes is dated January 29, meaning there are two weeks before the model will be pulled from ChatGPT.
The response has been considerably more muted compared to last year's deprecation attempt. One user on Reddit [9]grumbled : "This sucks. I still use 4o daily. It just has a different personality and gives better nuance to certain questions. I'll use 5.2 as well, but it doesn't replace 4o. I don't see why they can't just leave it well alone."
But considering the low usage levels and the fact most users will have stuck with the defaults and gone nowhere with GPT-4o, the decision is understandable, despite the relatively short notice.
[10]
"Changes like this take time to adjust to... and we didn't make this decision lightly," OpenAI said.
[11]
Probably best not to get too attached to that AI virtual buddy. You never know when somebody might decide that the time has come to decommission it. ®
Get our [12]Tech Resources
[1] https://openai.com/index/retiring-gpt-4o-and-older-models/
[2] https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/17/openai_chatgpt_ads/
[3] https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/11/openai_tweaks_gpt5_after_user/
[4] https://www.theregister.com/2025/10/15/openais_chatgpt_popular_few_pay/
[5] https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/28/anthropic_ceo_regulation_essay/
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/21/openai_bets_on_age_prediction/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/20/openai_money/
[8] https://x.com/sama/status/1955438916645130740
[9] https://www.reddit.com/r/OpenAI/comments/1qqloin/comment/o2ki0zi/
[10] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/aiml&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2aXzjvAAQanmuuJtwtrJ7oQAAAYQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[11] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/aiml&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aXzjvAAQanmuuJtwtrJ7oQAAAYQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[12] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
GPT‑4o, GPT‑4.1, GPT‑4.1 mini, and OpenAI o4-mini are on the way out on February 13, alongside GPT-5 (Instant and Thinking). The [1]retirements apply to ChatGPT. "In the API, there are no changes at this time," the company stated.
Coming soon: We interrupt this ChatGPT session with a very special message from our sponsors [2]READ MORE
It isn't the first time OpenAI has attempted to pull the plug on GPT-4o – the model was deprecated last year following the rollout of GPT-5. However, the [3]subsequent outcry resulted in a U-turn, and OpenAI restored both the model and the ability to select it.
According to OpenAI, users "preferred GPT‑4o's conversational style and warmth," prompting it to tweak subsequent releases. Most usage is now on GPT-5.2, with only 0.1 percent of users choosing GPT-4o each day.
[4]OpenAI's ChatGPT is so popular that almost no one will pay for it
[5]Anthropic CEO bloviates for 20,000+ words in thinly veiled plea against regulation
[6]OpenAI will try to guess your age before ChatGPT gets spicy
[7]OpenAI is still figuring out how to make money, but wants you to believe in it
After the furor, OpenAI boss Sam Altman [8]said of GPT-4o : "If we ever do deprecate it, we will give plenty of notice." Confirmation of the latest changes is dated January 29, meaning there are two weeks before the model will be pulled from ChatGPT.
The response has been considerably more muted compared to last year's deprecation attempt. One user on Reddit [9]grumbled : "This sucks. I still use 4o daily. It just has a different personality and gives better nuance to certain questions. I'll use 5.2 as well, but it doesn't replace 4o. I don't see why they can't just leave it well alone."
But considering the low usage levels and the fact most users will have stuck with the defaults and gone nowhere with GPT-4o, the decision is understandable, despite the relatively short notice.
[10]
"Changes like this take time to adjust to... and we didn't make this decision lightly," OpenAI said.
[11]
Probably best not to get too attached to that AI virtual buddy. You never know when somebody might decide that the time has come to decommission it. ®
Get our [12]Tech Resources
[1] https://openai.com/index/retiring-gpt-4o-and-older-models/
[2] https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/17/openai_chatgpt_ads/
[3] https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/11/openai_tweaks_gpt5_after_user/
[4] https://www.theregister.com/2025/10/15/openais_chatgpt_popular_few_pay/
[5] https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/28/anthropic_ceo_regulation_essay/
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/21/openai_bets_on_age_prediction/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/20/openai_money/
[8] https://x.com/sama/status/1955438916645130740
[9] https://www.reddit.com/r/OpenAI/comments/1qqloin/comment/o2ki0zi/
[10] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/aiml&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2aXzjvAAQanmuuJtwtrJ7oQAAAYQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[11] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/aiml&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aXzjvAAQanmuuJtwtrJ7oQAAAYQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[12] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
nobody who matters
"OpenAI is sunsetting some of its ChatGPT models next month, a move it knows "will feel frustrating for some users"
Not half as frustrating as their ongoing use of the newer GPT models will continue to be for the rest of us!
users "preferred GPT‑4o's conversational style and warmth,"
Bebu sa Ware
Names and addresses please. We will assign a reality reattachment team as a matter of urgency.
This nonsense is the cognitive analogue of retinal detatchment - the dinghy of the mind has thrown off its painter and drifted off to La·la land.
The difference being while a sharp blow to the head might be responsible for retinal detachment, it is invariably restorative in these case of reality loss. An idle cluestick might be profitably employed in such cases.
"It just has a different personality"
Eejit. The only personality is that he imagines it to have.