My Chirp's model isn't offered anymore

When you're done, the Chirp uses a model OpenRouter offers, and it answers visitors again.

Who this is for: people who build Chirps: the account owner, workspace admins and editors. Viewers see the warnings but can't change the model. Getting the fix to visitors needs someone who can publish: the owner, a workspace admin, or an editor the owner lets publish.

What you see

On the Chirp's card, on the Chirps page and the dashboard: Model unavailable: choose another.

On your dashboard, a red banner with See Chirps:

• "One of your Chirps uses an AI model that OpenRouter no longer offers, so it can't answer. Open it and choose another model." (or, for several, "3 of your Chirps use an AI model...")
• "One of your Chirps has a new model saved, but visitors still get the published one, which OpenRouter no longer offers. Open it and click Publish changes."

In the editor, under 5. Model, a red warning that starts with the model's ID, for example: "anthropic/claude-demo-retired-1" isn't offered by OpenRouter anymore, so this Chirp can't answer until you choose another model.

In the preview: "The AI model "anthropic/claude-demo-retired-1" isn't available on OpenRouter anymore. Open this Chirp in the builder and choose another model."

Your visitors can open the Chirp's page as usual, but after they send a message they see "This Chirp can't answer right now because its AI model needs attention from the owner. Please try again later." Students see "The AI tutor isn't available right now. Your lessons and progress still work."

Why it happens

OpenRouter retires models from time to time. Chirp Builder never switches your Chirp to another model by itself: you choose the new one.

Chirp Builder reads OpenRouter's list of models about once an hour. So the warnings can show up to about an hour after a model stops working, and can stay up to about an hour after it comes back.

Choose another model

1. Click See Chirps on the dashboard banner, or open Chirps in the menu. Click Edit on the Chirp with Model unavailable: choose another.

2. In 5. Model, the warning (1) names the model. Click Use and the suggested model's name (2): the newest paid model from the same company that can use tools, or Chirp Builder's default model if there isn't one. Or click the model button and choose any model from the list: see Choose your Chirp's AI model.

   

3. If Let visitors switch models is on, look at the models listed under it. Remove any that shows only an ID, without a price, with its X button.

4. Click Save.

5. Send a message in the preview to check that it answers.

6. If the Chirp is Unlisted or Public, click Publish changes in the bar at the top. The bar says "Visitors still see the published version." and lists "AI model". Visitors get the new model on their next message.

A Draft Chirp needs no publishing. The warning in the editor goes as soon as you choose another model. On a published Chirp, the card says Model unavailable for visitors: publish your changes, and the dashboard banner stays, until you click Publish changes, because until then visitors still get the old model.

Can't publish? Ask someone who can, or see I can't publish, or visitors still see the old version.

Good to know

• The preview uses what you saved; visitors get what you published. The model is a published setting, so after Save the preview answers, but visitors keep getting the error until you publish. See Publish, update or unpublish a Chirp.
• Extra models for visitors aren't checked. If Let visitors switch models is on and one of its extra models is retired, nothing warns you. Visitors who pick that one get the same message, while the others work. Remove it as in step 3. See Let visitors switch between models.
• The picture model under 6. Capabilities isn't checked either. If it's retired, the Chirp quietly makes pictures with another model.
• A model missing from the Recommended or Premium group is fine. Every plan can use any model OpenRouter offers. If Chirp Builder stops recommending a model, your Chirp keeps working with it, and you find it under All models.
• Course tutors: a tutor Chirp that was published once and then set back to Draft keeps the model it had when it was published, and a Draft shows no Publish changes. Students get that old model. Set the Chirp to Unlisted and click Save to publish the new model, then set it back to Draft if you like.
• Everyone in the workspace sees the warning, and the preview gives viewers the same message. Only people who can edit can change the model.
• Archived Chirps aren't counted in the dashboard banner.
• If the model list can't load, nothing is flagged, and 5. Model says "Couldn't load the model list right now". Try again later.

If it doesn't work

• Visitors still get the message after you saved: click Publish changes.
• The preview says "OpenRouter couldn't get an answer from" the model "just now", with an error number: the model is offered but had a problem. See Visitors see "temporarily unavailable" or a busy message.
• The preview says something about your key: see My Chirp says my AI key isn't working or has no credit.