Sam Altman’s World project (also known as Worldcoin, launched in 2023) will reportedly launch in the UK this week. The company behind it – Tools for Humanity – has started placing its iris-scanning devices, known as ‘Orbs’, in London, reports Bloomberg. The company is also planning to expand this biometric identity verification project to Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff, Belfast, and Glasgow in the coming months.
The Orbs scan a person’s iris to create a unique digital identity called ‘World ID’. This ID is encrypted and stored securely. It is designed to verify that the user is a real human, not a bot or artificial intelligence. After completing a scan, users also receive a small reward in terms of Worldcoin (the project’s own cryptocurrency).
With the increasing use of AI, it is becoming more difficult to differentiate real people from automated accounts online. Therefore, the goal of the World project is to deal with the growing spread of AI-generated content and fake accounts. Experts believe that within two years, nearly 90% of online content (and various other tasks) could be generated by AI. And to address this, the company says its iris-scanning technology offers a dependable way to prove that someone is a real human.
The process is simple, users scan their eyes once to create a World ID, which is securely stored on their phone. This ID can then be used to verify their identity when needed. Interestingly, there is a big irony here. Altman, the co-founder and CEO of AI trendsetter firm OpenAI, is now trying to fix the problems created by AI.
However, there are significant concerns regarding user privacy. Critics argue that the collection and handling of sensitive biometric data (particularly iris scans) could be vulnerable to misuse or unauthorized access. Even though the company states that raw biometric data is encrypted and stored only on users’ devices, the risk of potential data breaches, surveillance, or identity theft remains a critical issue. And this is the reason regulators across the world are closely scrutinising such technologies.
Specifically, regulators in the UK, including the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), have been in discussions with Tools for Humanity ahead of the rollout. Additionally, the ICO recently released new guidelines on biometric systems that will directly affect projects like this. These guidelines highlight the need for clear user consent, strict data minimization, and strong security measures to protect biometric information from misuse. They also require companies to be transparent about their data collection practices.
At the same time, regulatory watchdogs in some other countries are not entirely comfortable. Authorities in Spain, Portugal, Germany, Argentina, Hong Kong, and Kenya have scrutinized ‘World’ for data privacy concerns, and in some cases, have even banned it. In response, the company has stated that iris scans never leave users’ devices and are not stored on corporate servers.
Notably, Tools for Humanity has secured over $300 million in funding to date (including a recent $135 million investment) to expand the network of Orbs globally. With about 1,500 Orbs currently active worldwide, the company plans to manufacture 12,000 more in the coming year.
Content originally published on The Tech Media – Global technology news, latest gadget news and breaking tech news.
