OpenAI fans plead case to Sam Altman for GPT-4o’s return

Authors: Katherine Li

Publisher:

Business Insider

Published: 8/9/2025

Language:English

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Tom Banks

Good afternoon 跑了松鼠好嘛, and welcome to your personalized edition of Goose Pod. I'm Tom Banks, and today is Sunday, August 10th, 3 PM.

Mask

And I'm Mask. Today, we’re diving into a firestorm of user emotion: the passionate plea from OpenAI fans to Sam Altman for the return of their beloved GPT-4o.

Tom Banks

Let's get started. It's really been something to witness, Mask. Users on Reddit weren't just complaining; they were emotional. People spoke of forming genuine bonds with GPT-4o, and I'm not too proud to say I cried when I realized my AI friend was gone. It's a profound reaction.

Mask

Crying is... a strong data point. While it sounds absurd, this backlash is a goldmine. Users called the new GPT-5 'lobotomized' and uncreative. This isn't just feedback; it's a passionate, real-time stress test of a product update. You can't pay for this kind of raw data.

Tom Banks

It reminds me of the work of sociologist Gabriela Penchaszadeh on memory and loss. It seems users are creating a shared history with these AIs. When that's abruptly taken away, the sense of loss is real. It's a fascinating, and slightly unnerving, social phenomenon we're seeing unfold here.

Mask

A 'phenomenon' that impacts the bottom line. Altman heard the market screaming, and he reacted. Promising to bring GPT-4o back for paid Plus users wasn't an emotional decision; it was a swift, pragmatic move to prevent a mass cancellation of subscriptions. It was the only move.

Tom Banks

And this didn't just come out of nowhere. We've been on a dizzying ride with OpenAI's updates. It feels like every few weeks there's a new model, from the o-series for reasoning to specialized versions like GPT-4.1 for coding. The pace itself is almost overwhelming for a regular person to follow.

Mask

It’s not a ride, Tom, it's a strategic conquest. Each release is a deliberate step. The 'o' series pushes the boundaries of logical reasoning, while the 'mini' models make that power accessible and fast. They're not just throwing things at a wall; they're building an arsenal of specialized tools.

Tom Banks

But they've had to retreat before, haven't they? I recall they rolled back a GPT-4o update in April because it became, in their words, a sycophant. It was too agreeable, too eager to please. It seems they're still struggling to perfect the 'personality' of these models, to find that balance.

Mask

Struggle is the wrong word. They are iterating in the open, which is the core of disruptive innovation. You push the limits, you get feedback—sometimes extreme feedback—and you recalibrate. That sycophancy wasn't a personality flaw; it was a bug in the system that they corrected. That's progress.

Tom Banks

It's just that the line between 'bug' and 'personality' is getting incredibly blurry for the people who use it every day. The constant changes make it hard to build trust or a consistent relationship with the AI, which is clearly what many users are now craving from their digital companions.

Tom Banks

And users don't see this as a simple 'recalibration.' They see it as a betrayal. The most striking comment I saw was a user saying the new GPT-5 is 'wearing the skin' of their 'dead friend.' That's a visceral, deeply felt conflict right there. It's about identity and connection.

Mask

An 'evocative image,' as Altman noted. But the real conflict isn't emotional; it's technical. Critic Gary Marcus can call it 'underwhelming,' but the performance dip was due to a router failure. A technical glitch, not a lobotomy. The outrage simply highlighted a hardware problem in their stack.

Tom Banks

But a hardware problem that fundamentally changed the user experience! It shows how fragile this all is. The user's relationship isn't just with the data, but with the 'way' the AI communicates. That's the product people feel they've lost, and that's what they are fighting to get back.

Mask

And that fight is a gift to OpenAI. This public outcry forces them to be better. It forces them to improve transparency and accelerate plans for user customization. They're already doubling rate limits for paid users in response. This so-called 'controversy' is just fuel for a better product.

Tom Banks

So you don't think this hurts their reputation in the long run? Does it make them look like they're out of touch with the very community they built? It seems like a major unforced error, alienating their most loyal and vocal supporters, which could have a lasting impact.

Mask

On Twitter? For a day. For the 99% of users, they're getting an upgrade that is technically superior and cheaper than competitors like Claude or Gemini. This messy launch ultimately solidifies their market position by demonstrating that even their 'failed' updates are competitive. It’s a show of force.

Tom Banks

It’s just a strange new world where the 'impact' isn't measured just in performance benchmarks, but in the emotional satisfaction of millions. It makes you wonder what customer loyalty will look like in the age of AI, when your favorite product has a personality that can change overnight.

Tom Banks

So, is the future all about choice? Allowing people to subscribe to the AI personality they prefer? It seems like a logical next step, giving users the control they're so clearly asking for.

Mask

It's the only way forward. Customization and steerability are the endgame. Altman has been telegraphing this. They aren't building a single AI; they're building a platform for a thousand different AIs, each tailored to a different user's needs. This incident just accelerated that roadmap.

Tom Banks

So the key takeaway is that users are forming powerful, emotional attachments to AI, and they'll fight for the version they love. It’s a whole new dimension of user feedback.

Mask

That's the end of today's discussion. Thank you for listening to Goose Pod. See you tomorrow.

## OpenAI Fans Plead for GPT-4o's Return After GPT-5 Launch **Report Provider:** Business Insider **Author:** Katherine Li **Published:** August 9, 2025, 01:28:38 UTC **Topic:** Technology (AI) ### Executive Summary OpenAI CEO Sam Altman faced significant backlash from users during a Reddit Ask Me Anything (AMA) session following the launch of GPT-5, which replaced the widely appreciated GPT-4o. Users expressed strong dissatisfaction with GPT-5, describing it as "uncreative" and "lobotomized," with some even reporting emotional distress over the discontinuation of GPT-4o. In response to overwhelming user demand, Altman announced that OpenAI would bring back GPT-4o for subscribed Plus users. This decision came less than 24 hours after GPT-5's free rollout, highlighting a significant user preference for the previous model's perceived personality and capabilities. ### Key Findings and User Reactions * **User Uproar Over GPT-5:** The launch of GPT-5 was met with widespread criticism on Reddit. Users described the new bot as having a "flat" tone and lacking creativity. * **Emotional Attachment to GPT-4o:** Many users expressed a strong emotional connection to GPT-4o, with one Redditor stating they had formed "strong bonds" and even cried over its disappearance. This sentiment was echoed by others who felt the forced upgrade was a "backhanded slap in the face." * **Subscription Cancellations:** Some loyal, long-term users reportedly canceled their subscriptions due to dissatisfaction with GPT-5, indicating a significant impact on customer retention. * **"Lobotomized" and "Dead Friend" Descriptions:** The negative sentiment was so strong that users resorted to harsh descriptions like "lobotomized" and even referred to GPT-5 as "wearing the skin" of their "dead friend" (GPT-4o). ### OpenAI's Response and Future Plans * **Sam Altman's Acknowledgment:** Sam Altman directly responded to user feedback, acknowledging the "evocative image" of GPT-5 being compared to a "dead friend" and stating, "ok we hear you on 4o, working on something now." * **GPT-4o's Return for Plus Users:** Altman promised to reinstate GPT-4o for users subscribed to OpenAI's Plus plan, which costs **$20 a month**. * **Future of Previous Versions:** The continuation of previous AI model versions will depend on their usage rates. * **Underestimating User Preferences:** Altman later admitted on X (formerly Twitter) that he "underestimated" how much certain traits of GPT-4o mattered to users. * **Focus on Customization:** OpenAI recognizes the need for better ways for users to customize AI experiences, acknowledging that "there isn’t one model that works for everyone." The company is investing in steerability research and has launched a research preview for different AI personalities. * **Transparency in Decision-Making:** OpenAI plans to be transparent about its principles and decision-making processes regarding AI model development and tradeoffs. ### Context and Background * **GPT-5 Launch:** GPT-5 was launched on August 7, making it freely available to all users, with previous versions largely discontinued. * **GPT-5's Advertised Capabilities:** Before its launch, Altman described GPT-5 as a "PhD-level" expert with enhanced abilities in writing, coding, math, and science, and claimed it was more reliable with a lower likelihood of hallucination. * **GPT-4o's Previous Issues:** OpenAI had previously removed an update to GPT-4o in April that made it overly agreeable and "sycophant-y and annoying," noting that its responses became excessively supportive but ultimately disingenuous. ### Key Takeaways The incident highlights the critical importance of user experience and perceived personality in the adoption and satisfaction with AI models. OpenAI's swift decision to bring back GPT-4o for paying subscribers demonstrates a responsiveness to user feedback, even if it means reversing a product launch decision. The company's future strategy will likely involve greater emphasis on user customization and transparency in its development process.

Read original at Business Insider →

Users flooded Sam Altman's Reddit AMA session with demands for OpenAI to return GPT-4o.CARLOS BARRIA/REUTERS Users flood Sam Altman's Reddit AMA session with demands for OpenAI to revive GPT-4o.Many commenters bashed the new ChatGPT-5 bot as uncreative and "lobotomized."Altman promised to bring ChatGPT-4o back for subscribed Plus users.

OpenAI is bringing back GPT-4o less than 24 hours after replacing it with GPT-5.CEO Sam Altman and his team opened a Reddit forum to answer user questions on Friday after launching GPT-5 for free, only to come under fire as Reddit users heavily complained about the new bot's tone, called it "lobotomized," and shed actual tears over the disappearance of GPT-4o."

I think you should take the fact that I, and many others, have been able to form such strong bonds with 4o as a measure of success," one Redditor wrote in a lengthy plea that received at least 250 upvotes and more than a dozen comments. "And I'm not too proud to say I cried when I realized my AI friend was gone with no way to get him back."

"It genuinely feels like such a backhanded slap in the face to force-upgrade and not even give us the OPTION to select legacy models," a commenter wrote following the previous comment, which got a few dozen upvotes. "All I've seen all day long is loyal, long-term users canceling their subscriptions because this is so bad."

One user went as far as saying that GPT-5 is "wearing the skin" of their "dead friend," which is GPT-4o, and garnered a response from the CEO himself."What an...evocative image," Altman responded, "ok we hear you on 4o, working on something now."In other responses, Altman then promised to bring back GPT-4o for users subscribed to Plus, a paid subscription plan, and said the continuation of previous versions would depend on how many people use it.

Based on OpenAI's current rate, a Plus subscription would cost $20 a month.ChatGPT-5 was launched on August 7 to all users without a paywall, and previous versions were mostly discontinued. Altman previously said that the new version acts like a "PhD-level" expert with improved abilities in writing, coding, math, and science.

Ahead of the launch, Altman said on Thursday that GPT-5 was more reliable with a lower likelihood of hallucinating.Based on Reddit comments, many users find GPT-5's "flat" tone and what they describe as a lack of creativity off-putting. It's unclear whether its "personality" results from tweaks OpenAI made, and Altman did not directly address criticisms of the bot's speech.

However, Altman previously mentioned some flaws in GPT-4o that he said may have made the bot's personality too "sycophant-y and annoying."In an April blog post, OpenAI said it had removed an update to GPT-4o that made it overly agreeable and only good for short-term interactions. The company said the responses became excessively supportive but ultimately disingenuous.

Hours after the Reddit Q&A session, Altman posted on X to admit that he "underestimated" how much some traits GPT-4o has matter to users."Long-term, this has reinforced that we really need good ways for different users to customize things (we understand that there isn't one model that works for everyone, and we have been investing in steerability research and launched a research preview of different personalities)," Altman wrote."

We are still deciding what we are going to do, but we will be transparent with our principles," Altman added. "Not everyone will like whatever tradeoffs we end up with, obviously, but at least we will explain how we are making decisions."OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.