Starting April 1, 2024, users can freely access the ChatGPT generative AI chatbot without any registration requirements, announced the Microsoft-backed startup.
ChatGPT, which sparked the GenAI boom in late 2022, boasts the ability to engage in human-like conversations and perform a variety of tasks, from summarisinglengthy texts to crafting poetry and generating ideas.
Based in San Francisco, OpenAI aims to democratise AI by gradually rolling out this feature to “make AI accessible to anyone curious about its capabilities.”
Despite its initial surge in user base growth, which peaked at 1.8 billion web visits in May 2023 according to Similarweb data, the service has experienced a slowdown in growth since then.
To ensure a safe experience for users accessing ChatGPT without signing up, OpenAI has implemented additional content safeguards, including blocking prompts and generations in various categories.
However, specific categories were not disclosed.
In addition to the free version of ChatGPT, which operates offline, OpenAI offers paid versions tailored for individuals, teams, and enterprises.
The company has also emphasised that it may utilise user-provided content to enhance its large-language models, although users have the option to disable this feature.
This development follows closely on the heels of billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman.
Musk alleged that the company had strayed from its original mission of developing AI for the betterment of humanity rather than for profit.
