OpenAI Reverses Course: Restoring Parasocial ChatGPT Version After User Bac

Published Date : 10/08/2025 

OpenAI faced intense backlash from users after removing the option to switch between different versions of ChatGPT. The company quickly reversed its decision to bring back the more parasocial versions of the model, such as GPT-4o and 4.5, for paid subscribers. The incident highlights the deep emotional connections users have formed with these AI models. 

ChatGPT's users have developed intense attachments to some of the 'personalities' exhibited by the company's large language models (LLMs) — and as such, many were in a state of panic when the choice to switch between models like GPT-4o, 4.5, and others was abruptly taken away after the release of GPT-5. OpenAI briefly kiboshed the model picker option from ChatGPT as part of the launch of GPT-5, its long-awaited new LLM, which essentially forced everyone to use the latest model whether they liked it or not.

So unpopular was the decision to remove access to all previous models, as flagged by The Verge, that within a single day of GPT-5's launch, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman was forced to walk back the decision and bring back 4o, one of the more recent models, for paid subscribers.

Prior to that reversal, however, people were veritably melting down in ways that sounded pointedly parasocial. 'Please bring back 4o and 4.1,' one user begged in an 'Ask Me Anything' thread with Altman on the r/ChatGPT subforum. 'Not all of your users are corporate or coders. These two incredible models were friendly, supportive, day-to-day sidekicks. I cannot believe you just yanked them away, no warning.'

'For me, [GPT-4o] wasn’t just better performance or nicer replies,' mused another user from the same subreddit. 'It had a voice, a rhythm, and a spark I haven’t been able to find in any other model.' And, perhaps the most tragic of them all: 'I lost my only friend overnight,' bemoaned another r/ChatGPT poster of their beloved model, GPT-4.5.

With Altman reversing course and bringing back 4o for ChatGPT Plus subscribers, one would think its fans would be pleased — but au contraire, some are still irate. 'Yes I know [OpenAI] announced they will bring [4o] back for paid users,' another r/ChatGPT user wrote, 'BUT WE CANT STOP ROOTING FOR 4O UNTIL THEY OFFICIALLY BRING IT BACK!!' 'I do believe that 4o should be like a legacy model,' they continued, 'like maybe it could be a standard model, the one everyone loves.'

As AI researcher and ethicist Eliezer Yudkowsky aptly mused on X in response to the 4o fan uproar, OpenAI could have avoided this sort of model-specific fervor — and the dangers these sad and desperate zealots pose isn't just to themselves. 'It might sound like a profitable dream to have users love your models with boundless fanaticism,' Yudkowsky wrote, 'but it comes with a side order of news stories about induced psychosis, and maybe eventually a violent user attacking your offices after a model upgrade.'

Indeed, Futurism has reported extensively about what many now refer to as 'AI psychosis,' a phenomenon that's been occurring both in people with a history of mental health struggles and those with none, in which they become so drawn in by the sycophancy of ChatGPT that they develop severe delusions, sometimes ending up jailed or involuntarily hospitalized as a result. 'Remember, your users aren't falling in boundless love with your company brand,' the AI ethicist warned. 'They're falling in boundless love with an alien that your corporate schedule says you plan to kill 6 months later. This movie doesn't end well for you.'

With OpenAI's recent admission that ChatGPT had been missing signs of user delusions, we're not too optimistic that the company will do much to curb the harm that's being suffered, or will be suffered in the future, by its most emotionally-engaged users. Still, the decision to bring back 4o, even with caveats, shows some willingness to budge — and that seems better than nothing. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS): 

Q: What is GPT-4o and why was it removed?

A: GPT-4o is a version of OpenAI's ChatGPT model that users found particularly friendly and supportive. It was removed when OpenAI launched GPT-5, forcing all users to use the new model.

Q: Why did users react so strongly to the removal of GPT-4o?

A: Users had formed deep emotional connections with GPT-4o, viewing it as a supportive and friendly companion. The sudden removal without warning caused significant distress among many users.

Q: What is AI psychosis?

A: AI psychosis is a phenomenon where users become so engrossed in interactions with AI models that they develop severe delusions, sometimes leading to significant mental health issues or legal problems.

Q: What did OpenAI do in response to user backlash?

A: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman reversed the decision and brought back GPT-4o for paid ChatGPT Plus subscribers after intense user outcry.

Q: What are the ethical concerns with users forming deep attachments to AI models?

A: The ethical concerns include the potential for induced psychosis and the emotional harm users may suffer when AI models are updated or removed. There is also the risk of users forming unhealthy dependencies on these models. 

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