Sam Altman’s World has officially launched in the United States, with plans to deploy 7,500 of its eye-scanning orbs across American cities by the end of the year.
The project has also revealed a suite of new features and partnerships as part of the expansion.
US Expansion Plans
An April 30 announcement reveals that the project will initially roll out in six cities, including key innovation hubs like Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, and San Francisco.
Residents in these areas will have the opportunity to verify their personhood using Orb technology and receive WLD tokens in return. These tokens are tied to the creation of a World ID, which the company emphasizes is crucial for distinguishing between real humans, AI-driven bots, and digital actors.
During a press conference in San Francisco, Altman highlighted the pressing need for an online system that can effectively verify human identity. “We wanted a way to make sure that humans stayed special and central in a world where the internet was going to have lots of AI-driven content,” he remarked.
“We wanted a way to make sure that humans stayed special and central in a world where the internet was going to have lots of AI-driven content,” he said.
World also announced several new features associated with the U.S. launch. Through the platform’s app, users will be able to access crypto-backed loans via the lending platform Morpho and engage with prediction markets through Kalshi. Additionally, later this year, the company plans to roll out a Visa card enabling users to pay for everyday items using their WLD tokens or other digital assets.
In a notable development, World is venturing into the online dating sphere through a partnership with Match Group, the parent company of popular platforms like Tinder, Hinge, Match.com, and Plenty of Fish. This collaboration will kick off with a pilot in Japan, allowing Tinder users to use World ID for age verification.
Privacy and Regulatory Concerns
To date, World has utilized its silver orbs to confirm individual identities by scanning irises. The company asserts that the biometric data collected is solely for the purpose of verifying human identity and is not stored, thereby aiming to mitigate potential privacy issues.
However, the initiative has not been without criticism; privacy advocates and regulators around the world have raised concerns. Over the last two years, authorities in Kenya have raided World’s warehouses, while operations were suspended in locations such as Hong Kong due to privacy violations.
In Germany, officials have mandated the deletion of biometric data over GDPR infringements, a decision which the company is currently appealing. Meanwhile, in Brazil, regulatory restrictions persist despite World’s attempts to comply, and the project continues to operate under the guise of public education.
In Singapore, a recent investigation was launched to examine the alleged sale of World accounts, raising concerns regarding potential misuse for money laundering or terrorist financing.
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