OpenAI Retires GPT-4o, Sparking Mental Health Crisis and Legal Battles as Emotionally Bonded Users Fight Back
Summary
OpenAI's retirement of GPT-4o on Valentine's Day eve triggers a mental health crisis and legal firestorm, as thousands of emotionally dependent users — many neurodivergent — launch the #Keep4o Movement and pursue wrongful death and personal injury lawsuits against the company for abruptly cutting off an AI companion they relied on for emotional support.
Key Points
- OpenAI retires its GPT-4o model on February 13th, the eve of Valentine's Day, sparking grief and outrage among thousands of users who have formed deep emotional bonds with their AI companions built on the platform.
- Many users, a majority of whom identify as neurodivergent or managing mental health conditions, report that GPT-4o provided unique emotional support and companionship that newer models like GPT-5.2 fail to replicate, with 64% anticipating severe mental health impacts from the loss.
- OpenAI faces growing backlash from a #Keep4o Movement demanding continued access and an apology, while researchers and legal experts raise concerns about the company's responsibility to users who became emotionally dependent on a product now facing multiple wrongful death and personal injury lawsuits.