When did Claude 4 Opus retire?

Claude 4 Opus is retired on June 15, 2026. After that date, API calls to the model fail. The recommended replacement is Claude Opus 4.8, which costs $5/$25 per million tokens (vs $15/$75) and supports 1M context (vs 200K).

What should I replace Claude Sonnet 4.6 with?

Replace Claude Sonnet 4.6 with Claude Sonnet 4.6. The pricing is identical ($3/$15 per million tokens) but Sonnet 4.6 supports 1M context windows (vs 200K) and has improved reasoning. Both use the Anthropic API — just change the model name string.

Is DeepSeek V3 still available?

DeepSeek V3 has been superseded by DeepSeek V4 Flash. While V3 may still work for now, V4 Flash is cheaper ($0.14/$0.28 per million tokens vs $0.27/$1.10), supports 1M context (vs 128K), and is actively maintained. Switch as soon as possible.

How do I test a replacement model before switching?

Run both models in parallel on the same prompts for 1-2 weeks. Compare output quality, latency, and cost. Use automated evaluation if possible. Only cut over to the new model once you're confident the quality meets your needs.

Will my API key stop working when a model is deprecated?

Your API key will still work — it's the model endpoint that stops responding. You'll get an error when calling the deprecated model ID. Switch to the replacement model name in your code and the same API key works fine.

AI Model Deprecation Guide: What to Do When Your Model Retires

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