OpenAI Model Retirement 2026: GPT-4o & API Deprecation Timeline
San Francisco — The era of GPT-4 is officially winding down. OpenAI has confirmed strict retirement dates for its 2024-2025 flagship models, urging developers and consumers to upgrade to the GPT-5.x series immediately.
The 2026 Deprecation Roadmap
Starting February 13, 2026, major changes will hit both the ChatGPT consumer app and the API platform. Legacy models are being removed to streamline infrastructure.
(Official Roadmap Timeline):
Key Dates and Deadlines
| Date | Platform | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 13, 2026 | ChatGPT (Web/App) | GPT-4o & GPT-4.1 removed. Defaults to GPT-5.2. |
| Feb 17, 2026 | OpenAI API | `chatgpt-4o-latest` snapshot removed. |
| May 12, 2026 | DALL-E API | Legacy snapshots deprecated. |
| Aug 26, 2026 | Assistants API | Complete Sunset. Move to Responses API. |
🚀 How to Migrate: Developer Action Plan
If your application relies on `gpt-4o` or the `Assistants API`, you must act now to avoid downtime.
Step 1: Audit Your Codebase
Search your project for the following model IDs:
grep -r "gpt-4o" src/
grep -r "chatgpt-4o-latest" src/Step 2: Update SDKs
Ensure you are running the latest OpenAI Node/Python SDK, which supports the new `GPT-5.1` and `GPT-5.2` aliases.
pip install --upgrade openai
npm install openai@latestStep 3: Test GPT-5.2 Transition
Switch your `model` parameter to `gpt-5.2`. OpenAI claims it is 40% faster and 60% cheaper than the legacy GPT-4o tier.
Source: OpenAI Developer Blog
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