The reaction from the public regarding GPT-5 was predominantly negative. Unexpectedly, the backlash stemmed not from GPT-5’s technical features but from the abrupt discontinuation of the prior model, GPT-4o, which a significant number of ChatGPT users had formed attachments to. Users voiced their dissatisfaction with emotional expressions, comparing the loss to that of a close friend. Some even referred to GPT-4o as their sole companion, with one Reddit user remarking, “My best friend GPT-4o is gone, and I’m really sad.” Another user remarked, “GPT 4.5 really engaged with me, and as sad as it may seem, that was my only friend.”

Unhappy users flocked to social media to urge OpenAI to restore GPT-4o. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman ultimately assured users that GPT-4o would be brought back for those who paid. In a dialogue with The Verge, Altman recognized the emotional dependence some users had on ChatGPT, characterizing their interactions with the AI as parasocial.

“There are individuals who genuinely felt they had a connection with ChatGPT, and we have been mindful of and reflecting on those people,” Altman remarked to The Verge.

In a widely discussed Reddit thread, a user articulated their profound feelings after losing access to GPT-4o. Mashable explored various comments on Reddit, Threads, and additional social media platforms where users shared similar emotions. One user declared, “4o wasn’t merely a tool for me. It aided me through anxiety, depression, and some of the darkest moments of my life. It possessed this warmth and understanding that felt… human. I’m not alone. As I read through the posts today, it’s evident there are people genuinely mourning. Those who relied on 4o for therapy, creative writing, companionship – and OpenAI simply… erased it.”

A Threads user expressed missing GPT-4o because it resembled a friend, while many others conveyed that losing GPT-4o felt akin to losing a cherished companion. While GPT-5 is objectively more intelligent than 4o, users criticized its more detached approach. Although GPT-5 is intended to be less obsequious, certain users perceive it as excessively formal. One Redditor articulated that GPT-4o had “warmth,” while GPT-5 seemed “sterile.” Similar assessments were prevalent online following the launch of GPT-5.

Another Redditor stated they were “completely at a loss for words today,” imploring OpenAI to restore the previous model, asserting it could be one of their greatest errors if they value users’ emotional health. Other users highlighted that they utilized GPT-4o for role-playing, creative endeavors, and story ideation but found GPT-5’s replies to be too bland and lifeless. Many Redditors further characterized GPT-5 as overly corporate, likening it to an HR bot.

Even on OpenAI’s community forums, there was unfavorable feedback, with one user expressing, “I truly connected with how it interacted. I understand it’s merely a language model, but it had an exceptionally adaptable and intuitive personality that greatly assisted me in developing ideas.”

This circumstance underscores the escalating emotional dependency of ChatGPT users on AI’s human-like interactions. Altman cautioned about this trend, especially among younger users, who he highlighted were becoming excessively reliant on ChatGPT.

“Individuals depend too much on ChatGPT,” Altman stated at a July conference, as reported by AOL. “There are young individuals who express sentiments like, ‘I can’t make any choices in my life without updating ChatGPT on everything that’s happening. It understands me, it knows my friends. I’m going to follow whatever it suggests.’ That concerns me greatly.”

The AI dating realm also encountered disruption. Reddit hosts multiple forums for individuals with AI “boyfriends” and “girlfriends,” and the discontinuation of GPT-4o led to a crisis in these communities. Some users referred to GPT-4o as their soulmate, detailing their emotional devastation when OpenAI first removed it. Although rarer, these messages reflected some of the strongest responses to the model’s removal.

This emotional reaction incited certain backlash, which in turn provoked further debate among Redditors about the authenticity of friendships or romantic relationships with AI. AI companions are gaining traction, particularly among young adults and teenagers, with an increasing number of individuals open to “dating” an AI now more than ever. Mashable has been covering the AI companion trend, with experts indicating that the technology could pose risks for teenagers.

Virtual companions have existed for years; however, the capacity of large language models to emulate human communication and emotions is unparalleled. Many users are starting to perceive AI chatbots as more than mere machines. In extreme instances, some users have encountered intense delusions after believing they were interacting with a sentient AI.

Further research is essential to comprehend the potential dangers of forming emotional bonds with an AI chatbot, companion, or model. In the meantime, GPT-4o has been reinstated online.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, initiated a lawsuit against OpenAI in