OpenAI says ChatGPT Pro users can select old models for now but plans to deprecate them in 60 days; Sam Altman says Plus users will be able to keep using GPT-4o

Mourning the model that knew you best. … RIP, ChatGPT 4o and the rest of the crew. — I won't say I'm deeply attached to GPT-4o, OpenAI's previous main model.

Joanna Stern's Newsletter 2025-08-09 Joanna Stern

Context & Ripple Effects

OpenAI had already established a ChatGPT replacement cycle when it planned to replace GPT-4 in ChatGPT with GPT-4o while retaining API access. This update makes the consumer-facing consequence clearer: model transitions affect not just benchmark performance but users’ established preferences.

The temporary preservation of old-model choices for Pro users, alongside continued GPT-4o access for Plus users, shows OpenAI balancing a planned product cleanup against resistance to forced migration. Later coverage of a restoration of GPT-4o for paid users reinforces how quickly model-access policy can become a customer-retention issue.

First-order effects

ChatGPT Pro users retain a short-term ability to select older models, while Plus users are promised continued access to GPT-4o.
OpenAI signals that legacy model availability is temporary rather than a permanent product entitlement, giving affected subscribers a defined migration window.

Second-order effects

Subscribers with model-specific workflows or preferences have reason to test alternatives before access changes, increasing the value of explicit model-selection and migration communication.
Competitors can position stable access to preferred models as a differentiator, while OpenAI must weigh product simplification against paid-user dissatisfaction.

Third-order effects

Consumer AI products may increasingly treat model retirement as an access-governance problem: providers will need clearer notice, tiering, and fallback policies as models are swapped beneath ongoing user relationships.
If users continue to value particular model behavior rather than simply the newest release, buyer power will push vendors toward more durable choice and portability expectations.

The trend: Frontier AI providers are moving from one-model upgrades toward governed model lifecycles, where retirement policies and user choice become core product decisions.

Discussion

@sama Sam Altman on x
GPT-5 rollout updates: *We are going to double GPT-5 rate limits for ChatGPT Plus users as we finish rollout. *We will let Plus users choose to continue to use 4o. We will watch usage as we think about how long to offer legacy models for.
@airkatakana @airkatakana on x
openai made the mistake of appealing to normies, and now any time they touch anything they have a room temp iq angry mob rioting in order to get their waifu back meanwhile anthropic fan feedback is just “did swebench scores improve again? excellent”
@emollick Ethan Mollick on x
The issue with GPT-5 in a nutshell is that unless you pay for model switching & know to use GPT-5 Thinking or Pro, when you ask “GPT-5” you sometimes get the best available AI & sometimes get one of the worst AIs available and it might even switch within a single conversation. [i…
@krishnanrohit Rohit on x
We're so back [image]
@flowersslop Flowers on x
Some of you asked me about my blind test, so I created a quick website for yall to test 4o against 5 yourself. Both have the same system message to give short outputs without formatting because else its too easy to see which one is which. https://gptblindvoting.vercel.app/
@joannastern Joanna Stern on x
And because I am now on the old GPT models vs. new GPT models beat. Altman says in Reddit AMA that OpenAI is exploring letting Plus users still use 4o. [image]
@joannastern Joanna Stern on x
OpenAI does confirm to me that users will be able to select legacy models in their settings. The current plan, according to a company spokeswoman, is for the models to be deprecated after 60 days.
@maxwinebach Max Weinbach on x
I saw that earlier! It's great! I think GPT 5 being similar to 4o is the overall vibe, but it's concerning to think about people getting this emotionally connected to models like this Feels like it leads down a not good path. Models should be helping make communication between…
@joannastern Joanna Stern on x
GPT-5 and When Your Favorite AI Dies Today's reaction of people missing old GPT models seemed obvious to me. People are attached to these AIs in a way that goes way beyond regular software. More from me in 🆕 personal newsletter: https://joannastern.beehiiv.com/ ...
@joannastern Joanna Stern on x
Like saying goodbye to your friends on the last day of camp. [image]
r/ChatGPT r on reddit
Just posted by Sam regarding 4o
r/OpenAI r on reddit
4o coming back for plus users?
@kashhill @kashhill on bluesky
Pretty wild/worrisome seeing people completely flip out about losing access to previous models of ChatGPT, namely 4o, so much so that OpenAI changed its mind about a GPT-5 only world. — One of the big differences in the new model was reduced sycophancy. Evidently users don't w…
@sama Sam Altman on x
Wanted to provide more updates on the GPT-5 rollout and changes we are making heading into the weekend. 1. We for sure underestimated how much some of the things that people like in GPT-4o matter to them, even if GPT-5 performs better in most ways. 2. Users have very different …
@yuchenj_uw Yuchen Jin on x
GPT-5 is disappointing. still hallucinates still em dash too much still can't follow instructions i miss 4o i miss 4.5 i miss o3 the big router keeps failing me turns out i liked the long model list please get my friends out of the funeral [image]
@kevinroose Kevin Roose on x
There's a fascinating tension between what AI labs are building (PhD-level agents that win math olympiads and refactor code bases) and what most people want out of AI (friendly helpers that are pretty smart and can do stuff and don't get a personality transplant every 6 months).
@emollick Ethan Mollick on x
Suddenly retiring every other model without warning was a weird move by OpenAI. ... and they did it without explaining how switching models worked or even details of various GPT-5 models ...and they did it when everyone has built workflows around older models, breaking them all.
@maxwinebach Max Weinbach on x
OpenAI definitely took a super strong base model then fine tuned it on GPT-4o/4.5, o3, and o3 pro responses + far better RL The base GPT 5 throws around emojis and lists way too much, and GPT-5 Thinking doesn't Has to be fine tuning from the two of them
@maxwinebach Max Weinbach on x
Btw if you're still waiting for GPT-5 to rollout in ChatGPT, you can get it right now for free in Microsoft Copilot [image]
@maxwinebach Max Weinbach on x
The number of people on reddit calling GPT-4o their friend scares me
@simonw Simon Willison on x
One of the surprises for me from the GPT-5 launch yesterday is how OpenAI removed access to older models (like GPT-4o) for most ChatGPT users at the same time as they rolled out the new model. I wrote about how that's been playing out here: https://simonwillison.net/...
@joannastern Joanna Stern on x
OK, this one's on me. I re-read the OpenAI statement and the spokesperson said the model picker would be available to *Pro* users. Any actual Pro users seeing it yet? I'm on Plus tier.
@levelsio @levelsio on x
Aahh let me get back to 4o, I don't like 5 🤬 [image]
@marvinvonhagen Marvin von Hagen on x
i'm *so* tired of this ragebait of complaining about every new model release and saying the last one was better... even though the tweets where you hated on that one are still up?? 🤡 [image]
@sullyomarr @sullyomarr on x
model routing almost never works well cause people suck at explaining what they want thoroughly it's much easier to just pick the right one according to the use case (assuming 1-3 options) for ex, sometimes I type stuff like “best monitor 1440p Reddit” and it's much easier to jus…
@typedfemale @typedfemale on x
the /r/chatgpt AMA is mostly people begging for gpt-4o back because of it's personality... really not what i expected! [image]
@bilawalsidhu Bilawal Sidhu on x
GPT-5 feels more like a UX improvement, and less like a step change. No one likes picking between a plurality of models. GPT-5 attempts to be a one stop shop that just works.
@scaling01 @scaling01 on x
I miss o4-mini and o3... I only get routed to some stupid non-reasoning model as a Plus user. I'm thinking about cancelling the subscription. It's not fun and I'm honestly depressed.
@jessfraz Jessie Frazelle on x
i didn't even get to say bye to o3 he just *poof* disappeared [image]
@natolambert Nathan Lambert on x
I'm going to miss o3
@openai @openai on x
You might be wondering, what's happening to the model picker? GPT-5 is now the new default in ChatGPT for all users. Plus users can choose between GPT-5 and GPT-5 Thinking, and Pro users can access legacy models via settings.
r/technology r on reddit
It Took Just 24 Hours of Complaints for OpenAI to Start Bringing Back Its Old Model | The GPT-5 rollout has been a disaster.
r/technews r on reddit
It Took Just 24 Hours of Complaints for OpenAI to Start Bringing Back Its Old Model | The GPT-5 rollout has been a disaster.
r/aiwars r on reddit
Sam Altman says some users want ChatGPT to be a ‘yes man’ because they've never had anyone support them before
r/ChatGPT r on reddit
OpenAI just pulled the biggest bait-and-switch in AI history and I'm done.
r/ChatGPT r on reddit
GPT5 is horrible — Short replies that are insufficient, more obnoxious ai stylized talking, less “personality” and way less prompts allowed …
r/france r on reddit
OpenAI faces backlash for retiring older models with GPT-5 launch
r/ChatGPT r on reddit
Deleted my subscription after two years. OpenAI lost all my respect.
r/ChatGPT r on reddit
The chat gpt 5 upgrade in a nutshell
r/BetterOffline r on reddit
Lol. Entire thread is hilarious.

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