OpenAI is about to change the way users access ChatGPT in a big way. However, there may be more to this than meets the eye.

Starting Monday, April 1, OpenAI will no longer require users to sign up or log in to use ChatGPT. The company said it will begin rolling out this update "gradually," but did not say when the sign-up requirement will be turned off for everyone. According to the company, users will still be able to create accounts if they wish.

"Making tools like ChatGPT widely available and enabling people to experience the benefits of AI is at the core of our mission," OpenAI said in a blog post announcing the decision.

OpenAI's ChatGPT has always required users to sign up in order to use the service. Since its inception, ChatGPT has attracted more than 100 million users in 185 countries, OpenAI said Monday.

According to the company, ChatGPT, by default, uses queries entered by non-logged-in users to improve its model. However, users can turn off that tracking by going to settings and turning off the "improve the model for everyone" toggle.

Making ChatGPT available to everyone without an account should make access to the platform easier, but it is not without its own risks. For one thing, bad actors will be able to use ChatGPT without any way to verify their identity, increasing the potential for abuse; OpenAI has also stated that it will expand its "content safeguards" to block prompts and results in a broader category.

Perhaps most importantly, OpenAI acknowledged the need to monitor how non-logged-in users are using ChatGPT and make additional restrictions or product updates based on their usage.

Certainly being able to use ChatGPT without logging in would make for a faster experience, but it is not necessarily a good one for most users. By logging into the service, users can store and review their query history and share queries with other users. Logged-in users also have access to voice conversations and custom instructions. An account is also required to access the ChatGPT paid tier, which provides access to GPT-4 and the ability to create GPTs.