ChatGPT Performance Plummets Amid Model Shifts and User Backlash

ChatGPT Performance Plummets Amid Model Shifts and User Backlash

Across online forums and social media, a growing chorus of users is expressing alarm over the perceived degradation of ChatGPT’s performance. One Reddit user, /u/Bam_904__, described the experience as the worst he’d ever encountered, noting that the AI frequently provided incorrect information—even after being corrected multiple times—and refused to cite verifiable sources. After repeated failures to deliver accurate responses to basic queries, he deleted the app entirely. His experience is not isolated. Across Reddit’s r/OpenAI and other tech communities, similar complaints have surged in the past month, with users reporting a 70–80% error rate in factual responses, especially when requesting links, citations, or domain-specific knowledge.

While OpenAI has not issued an official statement addressing these specific complaints, evidence suggests the decline may be tied to recent model transitions. According to TechRadar, OpenAI had initially planned to retire GPT-4o in summer 2025 but reversed course after significant user backlash. The model, widely regarded as one of the most accurate and responsive versions released to date, was quietly phased out for many free-tier users in early 2026, replaced by a streamlined but less capable variant. This transition appears to have coincided with a noticeable drop in response quality, particularly in reasoning tasks and source verification.

Chinese tech forum Zhihu, which tracks AI model evolution closely, notes that ChatGPT has undergone seven major iterations over the past two years. Users there consistently ranked GPT-4o as the most capable version for handling complex documents—including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files—and for maintaining contextual coherence across multi-turn conversations. The model’s multimodal capabilities and improved reasoning were seen as milestones in AI assistant development. Its removal from widespread access has left many professionals and researchers frustrated, as they now face slower response times, reduced accuracy, and a lack of document analysis features that were once standard.

Meanwhile, Google has quietly expanded its own AI-powered messaging platform, Google Chat with Gemini, positioning it as a productivity tool for enterprise users. While not directly competing on the same consumer-facing interface, Google’s integration of real-time, citation-backed responses within workplace tools highlights a growing industry trend: users increasingly demand transparency, accuracy, and traceability from AI systems. OpenAI’s current approach—prioritizing speed and scalability over precision—appears to be at odds with this demand.

Industry analysts suggest that OpenAI may be sacrificing quality in favor of cost efficiency and infrastructure scaling. The company’s public mission to develop artificial general intelligence (AGI) remains unchanged, but the day-to-day user experience has deteriorated. Some speculate that the company is testing new lightweight models to reduce server load, but without adequate quality control or user feedback loops, the result is a loss of trust.

As users like /u/Bam_904__ abandon the platform, a grassroots campaign titled “Keep4o” has emerged on social media, urging OpenAI to restore GPT-4o as a default option. The campaign has garnered over 200,000 signatures in two weeks. OpenAI’s leadership has yet to respond publicly. For now, the disconnect between the company’s ambitious goals and its current product performance leaves users questioning whether the AI revolution is being driven by innovation—or by algorithmic compromise.