Sam Altman’s Worldcoin Rebrands as World Network and shows new Iris-Scanning Orb to Verify Humanity
Table of Content
- The Shift in Focus: Iris-Scanning Technology
- Verifying Humans in a World of AI
- The Orb’s Design and Technology
- 5G Connectivity and AI Performance
- Privacy and Security Concerns
- The Technology Behind the Orb
- The Future of World ID and AI-Driven Human Verification
Worldcoin, the crypto currency project started by Open AI CEO Sam Altman, announced on Thursday it is rebranding to “World Network.” The project is stepping up its mission to scan every person’s iris using its signature “orb” devices, as part of its broader efforts to expand and improve the technology.
At the heart of World Network’s offering is the world ID, which the company call as a “digital passport.” it’sdesigned to help that its holder is an actual human, and tell the difference with AI chatbots in the online world.
World Network, which is facing under scrutiny for its data collection practices, unveiled a new version of its iris-scanning “orb” device at an event in San Francisco on Thursday. The updated device now features 5G connectivity along with enhanced privacy and security features.
Worldnetwork, represents the height of ultimate tech solutionism. As Sam Altman builds a world driven by human-grade AI, Altman also involved in building a tool-World Netwok- that could play a key role in regulating that AI-driven world. It’s an ambitious attempt to merge human varification with the evolving technologically landscape of AI, with Altman has holding influence on both fronts.
“World Network’s New Orb: A Sleek, On-Demand Iris Scan for Digital ID and Cryptocurrency Rewards“
This new Orb sports a sleek, pearly design and runs on Nvidia’s Jetson chipset, boasting nearly five times the AI performance for faster identify verification, according to Tools for Humanity.Despite None of this makes it less bizarre.
In Latin America, starting next year, the Orb will be available for on-demand delivery, just like ordering a pizza. Through a partnership with the app Rappi, citizens can request an Orb to be delivered to their doorstep, where it will scan their irises and enroll them in the World Network. Once the process is complete, the Orb moves on to its next location. According to the Tools for Humanity designer Thomas Meyerhoffer said, the device’s SD card arrive with no preloaded data, ensuring privacy during the process.
Once the Orb scans a person’s iris and verifies they are a real human, it creates a World ID for them. To sweeten the deal, individuals who sign up in certain countries are rewarded with a cryptocurrency token called WLD as an incentive to join the World Netwok.
This Orb hardware is essentially a collection of sensors and semiconductors designed to capture your biometric data specifically, your iris. Once that biometric data is completed, the data is transferred into an app, which understadably raises concerns about data privacy and storage. However, Blania insists that when a user creates a World ID and their iris is scanned, the data is encrypted and stored on local devices, not on external servers, to ensure the privacy.
World Netwok is developed by Tools for Humanity, a company based in both San Francisco and Erlangen, Germany. Since the project launched in July 2023, over 6.9 million people have signed up to have their irises scanned, according to the company.
Privacy campaigners have raised the concern about World Netwok, critisizing over the project for its collection, storage and use of personal data.These worries have led to actions from various countries: earlier this year Spain and Portugal issued temporary bans on the project, while Argentina and Britain announced they would investigate further into the implications of the data collection practices.
