Users can now access OpenAI's ChatGPT without an account

OpenAI has announced that ChatGPT, its free AI platform, will no longer require users to have an account. However, this change only applies to ChatGPT, while other products like DALL-E 3 will still require an account and may incur costs. 

Since its launch at the end of 2022, ChatGPT has required users to sign up for an OpenAI account. The chatbot gained popularity quickly, making it one of the fastest-growing services. OpenAI subsequently introduced paid subscriptions for accessing products such as DALL-E 3 and more advanced models. Users will still need an account for tasks like saving and reviewing chat history, sharing chats, and engaging in voice conversations.

We’re rolling out the ability to start using ChatGPT instantly, without needing to sign-up, so it's even easier to experience the potential of AI. https://t.co/juhjKfQaoD pic.twitter.com/TIVoX8KFDB

— OpenAI (@OpenAI) April 1, 2024

OpenAI has reported that the chatbot is used by over 100 million people weekly across 185 countries. Despite Google's Gemini gaining traction, SimilarWeb found ChatGPT to be the most visited AI chatbot site, with an estimated  1.6 billion visitors in February. However, there has been a slight decrease in traffic since May 2023, when visits peaked at over 1.8 billion.

To enhance user experience, OpenAI has implemented "additional content safeguards," including blocking prompts in various categories, although specifics were not provided. Users, even those without accounts, retain the option to opt out of model training. They can also control whether their ChatGPT activity contributes to training OpenAI’s AI models.

Meanwhile, other OpenAI products like Voice Engine and Sora are available only to select users and partners and do not require an OpenAI account for access.