WorldCoin, the “identity proof” crypto startup that scans people’s eyeballs co-founded by Sam Altman, announced Thursday that it has dropped “coin” from its name and is now simply “World.” The company also announced its next-generation iris scanning, Orb, and other tools at a live event in San Francisco.
World co-founder and CEO Alex Branier said the startup's old name “doesn't work anymore” as the startup looks to expand its identity beyond its initial cryptocurrency mission. suggested that there may be. (Initially, eye scans were seen as a way to access World Coin, but founders say that never happened.)
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman spends much of his time working at World, Branier told TechCrunch at a press conference, but noted that the missions of both startups are independent of each other. However, Branier did not rule out the possibility that World's cryptocurrency could someday be incorporated into ChatGPT.
“Well, he's a co-founder and has been since the beginning. So we talk several times a week. He's involved in every decision,” Branier told TechCrunch.
“Of course, he is focused on OpenAI,” Branier continued. “To what extent is World's success tied to OpenAI? I don't really think that's the case at all. I think these are two very different missions. I think AI is heading in that direction. And we think what we've built here is a very important infrastructure for the world, and that will continue to be the case.”
Executives around the world want to scan your eyeballs during press conferences. (Image credit: Maxwell Zeff)
The world is built on the idea that, with advanced AI systems like the ones Altman's OpenAI is building, it will one day be impossible to tell whether you are talking to a human online. The solution is a “human authentication service” based on blockchain. The startup also promises to make the benefits of AI available to everyone, potentially by redistributing the wealth generated by AI to people through WorldCoin.
If all of this sounds a little suspicious, you're not alone. Governments around the world, including Kenya and EU countries, have investigated and suspended WorldCoin for years, citing privacy, security and financial concerns. Some of these EU investigations are ongoing, but the fate of the world there remains uncertain.
Altman and Branier detailed their four-step global roadmap on stage Thursday. He said that the first and second stages, namely the development of Orb and the creation of a blockchain decentralized ownership network, have already been completed. The final step is to redistribute the benefits of AI, but before we get there we need to complete the third step: scaling. World made several announcements on Thursday, including the launch of a new blockchain and new apps, but they all revolve around scaling up the company's 7 million verified humans to something even larger. I was doing it.
To do that, World needs to scan more eyeballs around the world. And to that end, the company announced the next-generation Orb on Thursday. The startup promised that everyone attending the live event (including TechCrunch) would receive an orb to take home, but it wasn't immediately clear how individuals would use it.
new orb. (Image credit: Maxwell Zeff)
The new orb is easier to mass produce, has fewer parts, and operates three times faster. World says people will soon be able to verify their identity in coffee shops, announced a partnership with Rappi, Latin America's number one delivery service, and announced that it will allow people to schedule Orb verification from home. .
World also on Thursday announced Deep Face, an effort to use the company's human verification services to combat online deepfakes and impersonation. The company said Deep Face could be used to enhance apps like Facetime, Zoom, and X, but didn't provide details on how that would be accomplished.
The startup also announced a beta version of its World ID credentials, an alternative to government IDs for use online. Executives made it clear at a press conference that it won't replace national IDs, but it could allow people to verify their identity online without divulging extra, irrelevant information, like when uploading a driver's license or passport. He said that there is a sex.
Adoption can be an obstacle for the world to move forward. At the event, World asked guests to verify their identity by presenting a government-issued ID. Having a cryptocurrency company trust their identity is a great wish for most people, but especially one led by Sam Altman, who has been accused of lying to OpenAI's board of directors.