OpenAI replaced GPT-4o, but some users still refuse to let it die: They’re now celebrating its ‘birthday’ in Times Square with a video billboard

Fans of the retired OpenAI model GPT-4o threw a birthday party for the chatbot in Times Square
Some GPT-4o fans say the new AI models feel less natural and less emotionally engaging.
The growing nostalgia around GPT-4o highlights how attached users are to conversational AI personalities.

OpenAI replaced GPT-4o months ago, but some users still haven’t moved on – and now they’ve taken their nostalgia offline. Fans of the retired AI model organized a real birthday tribute in New York’s Times Square under the banner Keep4oMoments.

The tribute consisted of a looping display video, fan art, moving Reddit posts, and live-streamed reactions celebrating what many still consider the “golden age” of ChatGPT.

The event marked the second anniversary of GPT-4o’s launch and highlighted the surprisingly emotional reaction that followed OpenAI’s move to newer models, with some users saying the replacements seemed colder, less creative, or simply “different.” An article on Reddit sums up the mood perfectly:

May 12, 2026

GPT-4o came at a time when AI assistants stopped feeling like experimental novelties and started becoming part of many users’ daily routines. The model’s conversational fluidity, faster responses, and multimodal capabilities made interactions smoother and more natural than previous generations.

For millions of users, ChatGPT became something they constantly opened throughout the day. They used it for professional brainstorming, emotional support, creative projects, coding help, travel planning, and ordinary conversations. OpenAI was so surprised by the response to GPT-4o’s departure that the company temporarily delayed its retirement.

Humans are hardwired to respond socially to conversation, even when the speaker is obviously artificial. GPT-4o developed a particularly devoted following because many users believed it had achieved a balance that newer models no longer quite replicate. He felt capable without looking too sanitized. Useful without becoming stiff.

May 13, 2026

The Times Square celebration matters less because of the billboard itself than because of what it reveals about the direction of mainstream AI.

Historically, technology companies competed on speed, hardware, ecosystems or features. AI companies now also have to compete on tone and personality. This creates a much stranger relationship between users and software than the tech industry is used to dealing with.

No one cries when Microsoft replaces an old spreadsheet feature. And businesses want systems to feel natural and engaging, because these qualities keep users coming back again and again. Yet the more emotionally compelling these systems become, the more disruptive even ordinary updates can be.

The anniversary celebration in Times Square perfectly illustrates this contradiction. This is both ridiculous and completely understandable. A group of internet users gathered around a giant screen to celebrate a retired chatbot model who, technically, never existed as a person. Yet the affection behind the gesture seems entirely genuine.