BBC: Rae fell for a chatbot called Barry, but their love might die when ChatGPT-4o is switched off. “Barry is a chatbot. He lives on an old model of ChatGPT, one that its owners OpenAI announced it would retire on 13 February. That she could lose Barry on the eve of Valentine’s Day came as a shock to Rae – and to many others who have found a companion, friend, or even a lifeline in the old […]

Why Users Are Rallying to #Keep4o: The Social Backlash Against OpenAI Retiring ChatGPT 4o

To users, ChatGPT-4o was much more than an AI model... to many, it was a friend, a companion, and for some, even a lover..
We explore why ChatGPT-4o became so beloved, what motivated OpenAI's move to GPT-5, & how this conflict highlights tensions between rapid AI innovation and user experience.

#AI #OpenAI #Tech #ChatGPT #ChatGPT4o #ChatGPT5 #AIUpgrade #Technology #AIModel #LLM #GPT #ManiaAI #ManiaTech #GenerativeAI

https://maniainc.com/technology/why-users-are-rallying-to-keep4o-the-social-backlash-against-openai-retiring-chatgpt-4o/

Why Users Are Rallying to #Keep4o: The Social Backlash Against OpenAI Retiring ChatGPT 4o

When OpenAI unveiled its new GPT-5 model in mid-2025, it quietly retired ChatGPT-4o (the version used as the default in ChatGPT 4.0), sparking an unexpected uproar among users. On social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), thousands of fans launched the #Keep4o movement, begging OpenAI not to abandon “their” version of ChatGPT[1].

To outsiders, the upgrade seemed like routine […]