GPT-4o has been superseded by GPT-5.4. New projects should use GPT-5.4 or its mini/nano variants.
Why It's Now on Hold
GPT-4o was OpenAI's flagship model throughout 2024 and early 2025 — a strong all-rounder with multimodal input, broad ecosystem support, and mature function calling. It powered GitHub Copilot and thousands of integrations.
GPT-5.4 (March 2026) replaces it comprehensively:
- Better benchmarks: SWE-bench 74.9% vs GPT-4o's ~40%
- Unified model line: GPT-5.4 merges the GPT and Codex families — no more choosing between "general" and "code" models
- Native computer use: GPT-5.4 can interact with UIs directly
- 1M context: Up from GPT-4o's 128K
- Competitive pricing: $2.50/$15 per million tokens (standard)
GPT-4o was deprecated from ChatGPT on February 13, 2026 — only 0.1% of daily users were still choosing it. Business/Enterprise customers retain Custom GPT access until April 3, 2026. The API endpoint still works but is now a legacy model.
Migration Path
| If you were using GPT-4o for... | Switch to |
|---|---|
| General coding | GPT-5.4 |
| Cost-sensitive tasks | GPT-5.4 mini |
| Lightweight/embedded | GPT-5.4 nano |
| GitHub Copilot | Already upgrading to GPT-5.4 backend |
Key Characteristics
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Deprecated from ChatGPT (Feb 13, 2026), API legacy |
| Context window | 128,000 tokens |
| Successor | GPT-5.4 |
| Provider | OpenAI |
| API model ID | gpt-4o |
GPT-4o ("omni") is OpenAI's flagship model and a strong all-rounder for software engineering tasks. It supports text, images, and audio in a single model, and is accessible via ChatGPT and the OpenAI API. For coding, it offers strong performance, broad language support, and the most mature ecosystem of integrations.
Why It Matters for Engineers
GPT-4o powers many of the AI tools engineers already use, including GitHub Copilot Chat and a huge range of third-party integrations. Its strengths include:
- Strong general-purpose code generation across many programming languages
- Ability to understand screenshots and diagrams (multimodal)
- Large plugin and tool ecosystem
- Function calling and structured output for building AI-powered apps
How to Access It
- ChatGPT web and mobile apps (free and Plus/Team plans)
- OpenAI API for programmatic access
- GitHub Copilot Chat (uses OpenAI models under the hood)
- Many third-party editors and tools
Key Characteristics
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Context window | 128,000 tokens |
| Strengths | Broad language coverage, multimodal, mature ecosystem |
| Provider | OpenAI |
| API model ID | gpt-4o |
Newcomer Tip
ChatGPT's free tier gives you limited access to GPT-4o. For engineers, the ChatGPT Plus plan ($20/month) is worth considering — it unlocks higher usage limits and access to newer model versions as they're released.