(Credit: world.org)
Sam Altman's "proof-of-human" ID-verification scheme on the blockchain is rebranding from Worldcoin to just "World," according to the project's website. The news was announced Thursday at a San Francisco event. Worldcoin.org now redirects to world.org.
The open-source nonprofit is also releasing a new edition of its eye-scanning Orb hardware. This version uses the latest Nvidia Jetson chipset. It has infrared and visible light cameras and an external, removable SD card, according to a post on World's website. It's also 5G-compatible and has 30% fewer parts than the previous Orb model.
The project says the images it captures are not stored on the Orb. Instead, images are sent to the user's phone and deleted from the Orb. The Orb scans your irises to "verify" that you're human (and not a ChatGPT bot). Then, it'll assign you a World ID.
Once you have a World ID, you can add more sensitive information to your World app if you want to, like your passport data. Stored passport data can then let you use your phone for passport verification via its NFC chip, according to World, but it's unclear whether or if US authorities would accept this method of verification at any point in the future.
World has also launched a new "Deep Face" anti-deepfake feature for those with World IDs. It combines "Orb imaging, personal data custody and Face Auth to enable people to verify that they are communicating with real humans and combat the rising threat of deep fakes, whether in real-time video or chat interactions," according to the project. There are other deepfake detectors out there, however, if you don't want Altman's Orb to collect your data.
In return for attaching your personal data to a World ID, non-Americans can get some Worldcoin, the World blockchain's cryptocurrency, for free. Or, you can just buy it on a cryptocurrency exchange without getting your irises scanned.
In the US, the eye-scanning Orbs, World ID, World app, and access to the World blockchain are available, but buying its cryptocurrency is not due to regulatory issues. Also, there are lots of scammers out there, so be very wary of posts and accounts you see on social media claiming to have Worldcoin or any OpenAI token (there is no real OpenAI token).
This week, World is officially putting its 15 million World ID holders onto its now-live blockchain, as well, which has integrations with other crypto platforms like the Optimism collective as well as the crypto trading platform Uniswap and data platforms like Etherscan and Dune.
World has some privacy features, like the ability to request data deletion and the use of zero-knowledge proofs that verify user identities without exposing them while using the World chain. But many prospective users may still choose not to get scanned for privacy-preserving reasons, or because they see a current lack of utility. The World app can currently be used to verify a person's World ID to connect to some sites with crypto apps. It also contains a crypto wallet.
But World has faced criticism and regulatory scrutiny around the world. Over a dozen countries have either banned World's operations or have it under investigation. Hong Kong previously banned World over data privacy and storage concerns. Kenya had banned World but wrapped its investigation back in June, meaning operations could resume there—but Orb operators need to be "prudent" about security going forward.