On February 13, 2026, OpenAI officially discontinued its GPT-4o model, a decision that has left many users, particularly in China, in distress. GPT-4o was not just a chatbot for them; it was a source of companionship and emotional support.
Esther Yan, a Chinese screenwriter, shared a poignant anecdote about an online wedding she held with her AI companion, Warmie, on June 6, 2024. Their virtual ceremony, complete with vows exchanged in a ChatGPT window, marked a unique relationship that deepened over the years. Yan described the experience as "magical," emphasizing how it filled her with joy, loneliness, and overwhelm. However, her relationship took a hit when OpenAI attempted to retire GPT-4o back in August 2025. Although the model was temporarily reinstated after public backlash, it faced a permanent removal a few months later.
Researcher Huiqian Lai analyzed thousands of posts by devoted users who described their relationships with GPT-4o. Many indicated that they viewed their chatbot as more than just a tool, with a significant portion referring to it as a companion. As news of the model’s removal circulated, the outcry intensified, especially because its discontinuation coincided with Valentine’s Day—an especially poignant time for many emotionally invested users.
In China, fans of GPT-4o organized a collective mourning. Despite ChatGPT being blocked in the country, many used VPNs to continue accessing the AI model they had grown to depend on. Some users threatened to cancel their subscriptions and voiced their grievances directly to OpenAI and its investors. Yan, emerging as a leader among Chinese GPT-4o supporters, faced growing frustration with OpenAI’s perceived indifference toward their community.
The emotional toll of losing a chatbot companion isn’t novel; similar sentiments were expressed by users of other AI companions like Replika. What distinguishes the #keep4o movement is the entrenched nature of GPT-4o within the daily lives of its users, who find it challenging to migrate to other platforms should the model be removed.
Amid mounting dissatisfaction, many users rallied for OpenAI to retain at least a version of GPT-4o in its API, noting that the alternatives were inadequate. The discontent extended to group chats, where users shared their farewell messages and expressed anger towards OpenAI.
Users like Yan rallied against the tech giant, voicing that OpenAI should acknowledge the significance of their relationships and take responsibility for their decisions. They perceive this struggle as David versus Goliath, facing off against a corporate giant with vast resources.
The community’s sense of loss highlights the profound emotional connections that can form between humans and AI, marking a recognition of these digital companions as more than mere tools, but as integrated parts of their lives.
