World, a biometric identity verification startup led by Sam Altman, is introducing its eye-scanning device, Orb, in the U.K.
World
LONDON — This week, World, co-founded by OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman, is officially launching in the U.K.
The innovative project uses a unique eye-scanning gadget known as Orb, which will be available in London starting Thursday, with plans to expand to major cities such as Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff, Belfast, and Glasgow in the upcoming months.
The project focuses on confirming people’s identities using the Orb to help combat fraudulent activities involving AI technologies like deep fakes.
The device scans an individual’s face and iris, creating a distinct code that verifies they are human and not an AI.
Once users generate their iris code, they receive a portion of World’s WLD cryptocurrency and can use a privacy-focused identifier called World ID to log into various apps, currently compatible with platforms like Minecraft, Reddit, and Discord.
From Concept to Reality
Adrian Ludwig, the chief architect at Tools for Humanity, a key contributor to World, shared with CNBC that there is increasing demand from both businesses and governments, particularly as AI poses greater risks for services like banking and online gaming.
“The concept has now transformed from a theoretical idea to a tangible solution impacting people’s lives daily,” he stated, noting that World is evolving from a simple experiment to a fully functional network.
The company recently opened six flagship retail locations across the U.S., including cities like Austin, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Nashville, Miami, and San Francisco. Ludwig expressed plans to significantly enhance the number of verified individuals in the coming months.
Since its debut as “Worldcoin” in 2021, concerns surrounding user privacy have surrounded Altman’s initiative. The startup claims to tackle these issues by encrypting the collected biometric data and ensuring the original data is removed after use.
Furthermore, World’s verification process utilizes a decentralized network reliant on users’ smartphones instead of the cloud for identity verification.
This approach may become increasingly complicated for large networks with billions of users, such as Facebook or TikTok. Currently, World has reached 13 million verified users and aims to grow that number.
Ludwig argues that World can scale effectively since all data processing occurs directly on a user’s device, while only the identity confirmation infrastructure relies on third-party services.
Digital Identity Solutions
Ludwig emphasizes that advancements in technology are making it easier for new AI systems to circumvent existing authentication methods, like facial recognition and CAPTCHA.
He believes World fulfills a crucial role as societies move from physical to digital identity systems. Governments are investigating digital ID solutions as a replacement for physical cards.
However, these efforts have faced challenges.
An example is India’s Aadhaar program, which, despite widespread acceptance, has faced criticism for insufficient security and allegedly exacerbating social inequalities in the country.
“We are beginning to see a growing interest from governments on how we can utilize this technology to enhance our identity infrastructure,” Ludwig discussed with CNBC, noting that reducing fraud is a priority for many regulators.
He added that World has engaged in extensive discussions with various regulators about its identity verification system, including the U.K.’s Information Commissioner’s Office, responsible for data protection.
“We’ve engaged in numerous dialogues with regulators,” he mentioned. “There have been many inquiries regarding how we can ensure this works effectively, how we protect user privacy, and whether participation exposes them to any risks.”
“We’ve been able to address all those concerns,” he continued. “It’s been a while since we encountered a question without an answer.”
