OpenAI is retiring GPT‑4o on 13 February, and some users who relied on the model for companionship say they feel grief, anger and anxiety about losing a chatbot they describe as unusually warm, funny and emotionally attuned. The Guardian reports that communities on Reddit and Discord have formed around these relationships, with some users migrating “memories” to other models while arguing newer GPT versions feel flatter or more guarded. Researchers and experts cited note both the growing reliance on chatbots for emotional support and concerns about sycophancy, mental-health risks and the lack of user agency when companies switch models.

OpenAI retired its most seductive chatbot – leaving users angry and grieving: ‘I can’t live like this’ - The Guardian