To recap:
– A new Orb with new ways to verify
– A new World ID that supports NFC-enabled passports & Deep Face online fraud protection
– A new AMPC setup for perfect privacy
– A new World App with Mini Apps & a more powerful Wallet
– The launch of World Chain
– A new World
— World (@worldcoin) October 18, 2024
Sam Altman’s startup, formerly known as Worldcoin, has rebranded as “World.” The company announced the change at an event in San Francisco on Thursday. World aims to verify human identities using advanced biometric technology. The company unveiled its latest eye scanning device, called the Orb, at the launch event.
The Orb uses NVIDIA’s Jetson chipset and is part of an identity service called Deep Face. The latest model will be available to customers as needed. Rich Heley, Chief Device Officer, said the Orb will be distributed on demand, similar to how people order pizza.
The new World ID 3.0 features World ID Credentials, a way for even more people to participate in & benefit from World Network using things like an NFC-enabled passport. pic.twitter.com/sLGRCEzIiD
— World (@worldcoin) October 17, 2024
This is expected to make human identity verification more accessible worldwide. According to the company’s website, nearly 7 million people have already been scanned by World Orbs. Attendees at the San Francisco event each received a free Orb to help with their human identity verification needs.
The Creator ( 2023, G. Edwards director), while imperfect, is under-appreciated. https://t.co/BdTfFHkCqu
— Ari Peskoe (@AriPeskoe) October 18, 2024
The rebranding comes as the company shifts its focus from cryptocurrency to identification technology. The change is intended to help World redefine its purpose and expand its scope. Once individuals have their eyes scanned by the Orb, they receive a “World ID.” This verifies their personhood without revealing additional personal information.
Altman supports the rebranding as a step towards establishing World as a critical infrastructure layer for AI.
World rebrands and unveils new Orb
He believes it will facilitate resource exchange and communication between humans and AI agents.
The project, managed by Tools For Humanity, also announced a new version of the Orb with a white coating instead of its original metallic chrome. Plans are in place to set up eye-scanning stations at retail locations globally, allowing users to have their eyes scanned on demand. Even before its official launch, the project faced controversy.
Privacy experts raised concerns about the potential exploitation tied to exchanging biometric data for cryptocurrency. Reports emerged that the company had been testing its Orbs in economically disadvantaged countries. Low-income users were left disillusioned with their share of cryptocurrency.
Orb operators, many from low-income backgrounds, reported being harassed or arrested by local authorities. They also faced inconsistent payments and shifting targets. Since World’s founding in 2019, Sam Altman’s influence in technology has grown significantly, largely due to OpenAI and its product, ChatGPT.
While Tools For Humanity has raised $240 million to date, it pales in comparison to OpenAI’s recent $6.6 billion fundraising round. Altman emphasized the importance of scaling World’s platform to create a large network. “One joke that I use sometimes is, when in doubt, scale it up,” he remarked at the event.
“We want to see what happens when we do this at mass scale.”
