Sam Altman’s World Project turns Black Mirror tech into reality in six US cities

The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence and digital technologies has brought both unprecedented opportunities and significant challenges, particularly in verifying online identities. In response to this, Sam Altman, the visionary co-founder of OpenAI, has introduced his latest ambitious endeavor, the World Project, in the United States. Previously known as Worldcoin, this initiative aims to revolutionize digital identity verification using biometric data, specifically through eye-scanning technology.The project, co-developed by Tools for Humanity, seeks to create a global, secure, and decentralized identity system that can differentiate humans from AI bots in an increasingly digital world. As the World Project officially launched in six US cities on May 1, 2025, it marked a significant step toward transforming online authentication and digital trust.The World Project is driven by a bold vision: to establish a universally accessible digital identity system that safeguards individual privacy while ensuring secure interactions online. The core technology behind this initiative is the Orb, a sleek, silver sphere designed to scan and encode a user’s unique iris pattern into an encrypted IrisCode. Unlike traditional username and password systems, which are vulnerable to hacking and phishing, the World ID offers a more secure alternative by using biometric data that cannot be easily replicated.Tools for Humanity, the company behind the World Project, was co-founded by Sam Altman and CEO Alex Blania. Their mission is to build a decentralized identity platform that can serve as a foundational layer for the digital economy, reducing fraud and restoring trust in online interactions. The World ID system promises to be a critical tool in combating the rise of deepfakes, AI-generated content, and bot-driven misinformation.The Orb is a key component of the World Project’s identity verification system. It captures a user’s iris pattern, transforming it into a unique IrisCode that is encrypted and stored on a blockchain. This approach offers significant security advantages:In the US, the initial rollout includes 7,500 Orbs deployed across six major cities: Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, and San Francisco. The company plans to quadruple its global hardware footprint by the end of 2025, further expanding the availability of World IDs.To encourage early adoption, the World Project offers users 14 WLD cryptocurrency tokens in exchange for participating in the iris-scanning process. These tokens, part of the broader World ecosystem, can be used for online transactions, decentralized finance (DeFi) applications, and digital identity verification.In addition to the Orb, the World Project is set to launch the World Card, a crypto-linked debit card developed in partnership with Visa. This card will allow users to spend their WLD tokens at any location that accepts Visa, bridging the gap between the digital and physical economies. This integration marks a significant step toward making digital currencies more practical and widely accepted.The US launch of the World Project comes with several high-profile partnerships aimed at integrating World ID into mainstream applications. Notably, Match Group, the parent company of Tinder, Hinge, and other dating platforms, is piloting World ID for identity verification on Tinder in Japan. This move is intended to reduce catfishing and online fraud by ensuring that users are verified humans. If successful, this technology could extend to other dating platforms, enhancing user trust and safety.Despite its ambitious goals, the World Project faces significant challenges, particularly around privacy and data security. Critics have raised concerns about the ethical implications of incentivizing biometric data collection with cryptocurrency rewards. Reports of coercion by Orb operators in some regions and the emergence of a black market for iris data have further complicated the project’s public perception.To address these concerns, the World Project has emphasized its commitment to transparency and data protection. The company claims that it does not store actual iris images and that its blockchain-based approach ensures that no single entity can control or misuse the data. Nevertheless, building public trust will be a critical factor in the project’s long-term success.