"please, don't kill the only model that still feels human": Understanding the #Keep4o Backlash

Abstract

When OpenAI replaced GPT-4o with GPT-5, it triggered the #Keep4o user resistance movement, revealing a conflict between rapid platform iteration and users' deep socio-emotional attachments to AI systems. This paper presents a phenomenon-driven, mixed-methods investigation of this conflict, analyzing 1,482 social media posts. Thematic analysis reveals that resistance stems from two core investments: instrumental dependency, where the AI is deeply integrated into professional workflows, and relational attachment, where users form strong parasocial bonds with the AI as a unique companion. Quantitative analysis further shows that the coercive deprivation of user choice was a key catalyst, transforming individual grievances into a collective, rights-based protest. This study illuminates an emerging form of socio-technical conflict in the age of generative AI. Our findings suggest that for AI systems designed for companionship and deep integration, the process of change - particularly the preservation of user agency - can be as critical as the technological outcome itself.