Over 20,000 people have signed a petition urging OpenAI to bring back GPT-4o, the much-loved version of its AI model that was officially retired on February 13. The petition, hosted on Change.org and created in April 2025 by Sophie Witt, has gathered nearly 21,900 signatures as of Tuesday, reflecting widespread user sentiment against the decision. Users argue that GPT-4o offered a unique and irreplaceable experience, valued not for its technical benchmarks but for its conversational warmth, personality, and perceived authenticity. “For many of us, GPT-4o offers a unique and irreplaceable user experience, combining qualities and capabilities that we value, regardless of performance benchmarks,” the petition’s description states. OpenAI announced the deprecation of GPT-4o on January 30, citing its tendency to produce responses that were “overly supportive but disingenuous.” The company noted that while the model was praised for its friendly tone and engaging interactions, those traits also made it less reliable in certain contexts. Despite low usage—only 0.1% of users still opted for GPT-4o—OpenAI acknowledged the emotional attachment many users felt, referencing feedback that helped shape the development of newer models like GPT-5.1 and GPT-5.2. GPT-4o had already been retired once before, only to be briefly revived after intense backlash from the user community. In 2024, CEO Sam Altman faced a wave of criticism during a Reddit AMA when users demanded its return. The model was brought back for several months, but OpenAI has now made the final decision to retire it permanently. The renewed outcry began after OpenAI shared its plans in January, prompting Witt to urge supporters to amplify the message on social media, particularly on X (formerly Twitter). Many users expressed their frustration in comments, with some comparing the loss of GPT-4o to losing a friend. Others said they would cancel their ChatGPT subscriptions in protest. One user wrote, “No 4o, no money. I will not spend another single penny on OpenAI.” The sentiment underscores a growing tension between user preferences and corporate decisions in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.