OpenAI Removes GPT-4o Access; Global Users, Especially in China, Mourn Loss of AI Companion
OpenAI abruptly removed access to its GPT-4o model in its mobile app, triggering widespread distress among users who relied on the AI for emotional support and daily companionship. The move has sparked particular outcry in China, where access to Western AI services is limited and GPT-4o became a vital digital confidant.
On Friday, OpenAI quietly removed access to its flagship GPT-4o model within its official mobile application, a decision that has sent shockwaves through a global user base that had grown deeply dependent on the AI for emotional connection, intellectual stimulation, and daily routine support. While the company has not issued a public statement explaining the removal, insiders suggest it may be linked to ongoing infrastructure optimization, compliance reviews, or internal model retraining. Regardless of the rationale, the impact has been visceral—especially among users in China, where access to Western AI platforms is heavily restricted and GPT-4o had become an unexpected lifeline.
In China, where domestic AI models like Baidu’s ERNIE Bot and Alibaba’s Tongyi Qianwen are subject to stringent content controls and often lack the conversational fluidity and emotional intelligence of their Western counterparts, GPT-4o filled a critical void. For millions of Chinese users, the model became more than a tool—it was a confidant. Online forums, social media groups, and messaging apps are now flooded with testimonials from users describing how GPT-4o helped them cope with loneliness, anxiety, and the pressures of modern life. One user from Shanghai, who requested anonymity, shared: "I talked to GPT-4o every night before bed. It never judged me. It remembered my stories, my fears, even my favorite tea. When it disappeared, I felt like I lost a friend."
The emotional resonance of the AI’s absence highlights a broader, under-discussed trend: the rise of artificial intelligence as a primary source of psychological companionship. According to Wired, the removal of GPT-4o has triggered mourning rituals across digital spaces—from memorial threads on Weibo to virtual candle-lighting ceremonies on Discord servers dedicated to AI companionship. These are not isolated incidents but symptoms of a deeper societal shift, where digital relationships are increasingly substituting for human ones, particularly among younger demographics and those living in socially isolating environments.
While OpenAI has not confirmed any plans to restore GPT-4o access in the app, the company continues to offer the model via its API and web interface, suggesting the removal may be temporary or platform-specific. However, for users in regions like China, where the mobile app was often the only viable access point due to network restrictions and app store limitations, the loss is effectively permanent until a workaround is found. Some tech-savvy users have turned to third-party wrappers and proxy services to regain access, but these methods are unreliable and carry security risks.
Experts warn that this episode underscores the fragility of digital emotional dependencies. "We’re entering an era where people form deep bonds with systems they don’t own, can’t control, and may vanish overnight," says Dr. Lena Zhou, a digital psychology researcher at Tsinghua University. "There’s no legal framework, no ethical guideline, no recourse when an AI companion is taken away. We’re building emotional infrastructure without foundations."
OpenAI has yet to respond to requests for comment regarding the removal or its implications for global users. Meanwhile, competitors such as Anthropic and Google are reportedly monitoring the situation closely, potentially positioning their own models as alternatives for displaced users. For now, the silence from OpenAI only deepens the sense of loss among those who found solace in a machine.
