OpenAI upgrades GPT-5.5 and retires legacy ChatGPT models
OpenAI says it is improving GPT-5.5 Instant while phasing out older ChatGPT models, including o3 and GPT-4.5. The company is also adding job search features and better resume tools to ChatGPT as the updates roll out globally.
OpenAI says it is rolling out an update that improves GPT-5.5 Instant while also retiring several older ChatGPT models. In updated release notes, the company said the model now responds more accurately and with a better style, and that it is reducing long, bullet-heavy answers to make outputs feel more natural.
GPT-5.5 Instant was released on April 23 and has seen “significant progress” over the past few weeks, especially in May 2026, according to the company’s notes. OpenAI said the latest changes should make responses easier to read and better paced for practical help tasks.
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This matters because ChatGPT is changing both the models it uses and the kinds of tasks it can handle. A model is the AI system behind the chat; newer models can be faster, more accurate or better at following instructions than older ones.
OpenAI is also retiring older models, which means some users will lose access to them. The job search feature matters because ChatGPT is moving from just writing text to helping people find live opportunities and prepare application materials.
🦞 OpenClaw angle
If you build automations around ChatGPT models, do not assume older model IDs will stay available. Update your workflows now to use current models and add fallbacks in case a preferred model is retired on short notice.
If you generate resumes or job-search content for users, test the new job search and resume features against your own pipelines so you know where ChatGPT can now replace custom steps. Also review output formatting, because OpenAI is explicitly changing responses to be less long-form and more conversational, which may affect downstream parsers.
The company is also trying to make ChatGPT sound less mechanical. According to OpenAI, the update trims some of the overly long and list-heavy formatting that can make answers feel stiff, with the goal of improving everyday conversation.
At the same time, OpenAI is moving away from older models in ChatGPT. The company said o3 will be retired on August 26, after a 90-day sunset period, while GPT-4.5 will be retired on June 27 after a 30-day sunset period.
These retirements apply to ChatGPT and are currently limited to paid users, according to the source article. The article noted that o3 is likely to be missed less by users, while GPT-4.5 may draw more complaints because it felt closer to GPT-4o and more personal in style.
OpenAI did not present the model retirements as a standalone change. It said the move helps free up compute so it can focus on newer and more capable models.
The company is also expanding what ChatGPT can do beyond writing and chat. OpenAI said it is integrating a job search tool into ChatGPT that can surface live listings and freelance opportunities from sources such as Indeed, Upwork and Appcast, as well as across the web.
According to OpenAI’s release notes, search results are personalized using a user’s experience, skills and goals to highlight roles that may be a strong fit. Users can then follow links to apply directly on the source sites.
OpenAI also said ChatGPT has improved at creating resumes, editing existing resumes and exporting them in a professional format. The company said those changes are rolling out gradually worldwide.
The changes to GPT-5.5, the model retirements and the new job search and resume features are all part of the latest update cycle for ChatGPT.
