On Tuesday, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced that GPT-4o has returned to ChatGPT following intense user backlash over its elimination throughout final week’s GPT-5 launch. The AI mannequin now seems within the mannequin picker for all paid ChatGPT customers by default (together with ChatGPT Plus accounts), marking a swift reversal after hundreds of customers complained about dropping entry to their most popular fashions.
The return of GPT-4o comes after what Altman described as OpenAI underestimating “how a lot among the issues that folks like in GPT-4o matter to them.” In an try to simplify its choices, OpenAI had initially eliminated all earlier AI fashions from ChatGPT when GPT-5 launched on August 7, forcing customers to undertake the brand new mannequin with out warning. The transfer sparked one of the vital vocal consumer revolts in ChatGPT’s historical past, with a Reddit thread titled “GPT-5 is horrible” gathering over 2,000 feedback inside days.
Together with bringing again GPT-4o, OpenAI made a number of different adjustments to handle consumer issues. Price limits for GPT-5 Pondering mode elevated from 200 to three,000 messages per week, with further capability out there by means of “GPT-5 Pondering mini” after reaching that restrict. The corporate additionally added new routing choices—”Auto,” “Quick,” and “Pondering”—giving customers extra management over which GPT-5 variant handles their queries.
A screenshot of ChatGPT Professional’s mannequin picker interface captured on August 13, 2025.
Credit score:
Benj Edwards
For Professional customers who pay $200 a month for entry, Altman confirmed that further fashions, together with o3, 4.1, and GPT-5 Pondering mini, will later grow to be out there by means of a “Present further fashions” toggle in ChatGPT internet settings. He famous that GPT-4.5 will stay unique to Professional subscribers as a result of excessive GPU prices.
