"Please, don't kill the only model that still feels human": Understanding the #Keep4o Backlash
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arXiv
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| Format: | Preprint |
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2026
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| _version_ | 1866912936591622144 |
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| author | Lai, Huiqian |
| author_facet | Lai, Huiqian |
| contents | 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. |
| format | Preprint |
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arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2602_00773 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | "Please, don't kill the only model that still feels human": Understanding the #Keep4o Backlash Lai, Huiqian Human-Computer Interaction H.5.m 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. |
| title | "Please, don't kill the only model that still feels human": Understanding the #Keep4o Backlash |
| topic | Human-Computer Interaction H.5.m |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.00773 |