OpenAI has decided to eliminate the need for users to create an account to access ChatGPT 3.5, a popular generative AI tool. This change aims to make it easier for users to explore the capabilities of AI without having to go through the sign-up process. However, users who do not have accounts will not be able to save their previous interactions.

The new feature will be introduced gradually in different countries, starting with the United States. While many people welcomed this move as a step towards democratizing AI, others like Simon Willison raised concerns about potential data scraping incidents with the free ChatGPT 3.5 API.

The removal of the sign-up mandate is seen as a positive development by AI developers, as it may lead to the creation of newer large language models (LLM). OpenAI estimates that ChatGPT currently has over 100 million weekly active users worldwide, a number expected to rise as more individuals who were previously hesitant to share personal information can now use ChatGPT more anonymously.

Although ChatGPT 3.5 may not be the most powerful free generative AI tool available, some experts believe that OpenAI's decision may be a strategy to retain users and discourage them from switching to competitors. Data from Hugging Face ranks ChatGPT 3.5 16th globally in terms of capability, with other free generative AI tools like Anthropic’s Claude S and Google DeepMind's Gemini Pro performing better.

In a recent development, a generative AI robot named Iris secured a teaching position at a school in Kerala, India. Developed in collaboration with Makerlabs for the ATL project by NITI Aayog, Iris can communicate in three languages and answer complex questions, providing personalized and engaging educational experiences to students.