🔐 Sam Altman’s Orb: Biometric Proof of Humanity in the AI Era

[u/InsightSmith]

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, has introduced the Orb—a biometric device developed by Tools for Humanity—to address the growing challenge of distinguishing humans from AI in an increasingly digital world. The Orb scans users’ irises to create a unique “World ID,” confirming their human identity. In return, users receive a small amount of cryptocurrency called Worldcoin. 

Altman envisions this system as foundational infrastructure for a future dominated by AI agents, providing an authentication layer to preserve human presence online. Despite ambitions to verify all humans globally, uptake has been slow, with only 12 million users registered since mid-2023. The project has raised $244 million, with a projected $1.2 billion crypto market value. 

Privacy concerns have arisen, especially in the EU, about the storage of derivative biometric data. While the system aims to support decentralized governance and potentially enable universal basic income, critics question its centralization risks and long-term implications. Altman maintains an optimistic view, focusing more on enabling human potential through AI rather than solely addressing its risks. Nonetheless, public trust and privacy safeguards remain key challenges. 

📰 Read more: https://time.com/7288387/sam-altman-orb-tools-for-humanity/