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OpenAI is pressing the reset button on ChatGPT—and not every user is mad about it.
Last week, things got a bit bumpy in the world of ChatGPT. If you noticed your trusty AI chatting differently or missing a few steps it used to nail, you’re not imagining things. Users began reporting that ChatGPT, particularly GPT-4-turbo, suddenly felt a little off—less accurate, less helpful, and in some cases, just downright strange.
Now we know why.
A “Bumpy” Update With Big Questions
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, admitted that the rollout of what people believed was a version of GPT-5—or at least a significant GPT-4-turbo update—didn’t quite go as planned.
In response to growing frustration among users, OpenAI made a surprising move: they reintroduced older models of ChatGPT for users to access again. These legacy models had been removed from the platform as part of the update, but pushback from the community was strong enough that OpenAI temporarily rolled them back in.
Image by Alpha Perspective on Unsplash
Altman acknowledged that the company is aware of user concerns and is actively working on improving the model’s behavior. He referred to the experience as “bumpy,” which might be putting it lightly for longtime users who felt something important had been lost.
Why Older Models Matter, Especially to Power Users
For many of us who rely on ChatGPT daily—whether for brainstorming, coding, writing, or troubleshooting—a drop in performance doesn’t go unnoticed. Some developers and researchers depend on its consistency and reliability for more than just casual use. So when things started to feel off, the community spoke up.
OpenAI heard them.
By restoring previous models, users now have more choice in how their chatbot behaves. It’s a kind of “you asked, we listened” moment from one of the biggest names in AI today.
What This Means Going Forward
While rumors swirled about this being GPT-5 or an invisible jump in complexity, OpenAI hasn’t confirmed that. Regardless, it’s clear the version that rolled out didn’t perform the way users expected—and OpenAI is treating that feedback seriously.
Image by MARIOLA GROBELSKA on Unsplash
The company hasn’t said how long the older models will remain available or exactly what changes are being made to improve GPT-4-turbo now. But for those who’ve felt disoriented by ChatGPT’s recent behavior, the return of its old self is a welcome breather.
As always with fast-moving AI tools, today’s features might shift tomorrow. But at least for now, users are getting more say—and more stability.
If you’re a regular ChatGPT user, it might be worth playing around with the legacy models again. They’re back, at least for now.
Stay tuned. This story’s definitely not over.
Keywords: OpenAI, ChatGPT, GPT-4-turbo, GPT-5, legacy models, Sam Altman, AI updates, technology, feedback loop
