World Coin Launches EyeScan Digital Identity Project Across U.S

In the rapidly evolving world of technology where figures like Sam Altman, the creator of ChatGPT, hold significant influence, his latest cryptocurrency project, World Coin (WLD), has recently made a major advancement. This project, which aims to establish a "global digital identity for humans," has officially launched in the United States. What sets this initiative apart—and also makes it somewhat controversial—is its method of identity verification: eye scans using physical devices called "Orbs." The project announced that it has begun deploying these devices in six major U.S. cities as part of its initial phase, with plans for extensive future expansion.

World Coin is a blockchainbased project led by Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, developed in collaboration with his team. Its primary goal is to provide a trustworthy way to verify that individuals are human, especially in an era dominated by artificial intelligence (AI) and automated content creation. The project intends to help distinguish humangenerated content from AIproduced material and ensure humans retain a unique identity in a world increasingly influenced by AI.

In the U.S., the project plans to deploy 7,500 Orbs—ballshaped eye scanners—across various cities by the end of the year. The first phase has already started in six key innovation centers: Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, and San Francisco. These devices, resembling chromecolored bowling balls, scan the iris of users to generate a unique and verifiable "World ID." Individuals who have their eye scanned will gain access to the World app and receive WLD tokens.

The overarching goal is to grant access to the World network for over 180 million Americans, representing more than half the U.S. population. Sam Altman explained that the idea for World Coin predated his involvement with OpenAI and was driven by the need to verify human identity in the age of artificial general intelligence (AGI). This is vital for differentiating between human and AIcreated content and maintaining human prominence in digital environments.

The World ecosystem is also expanding its features, including:

 Digital currencybacked loans via the Morpho lending protocol.

 Participation in prediction markets through Kalshi.

 The upcoming use of Visa debit cards to spend WLD tokens.

 Integration of identity verification within other apps, such as dating platforms like Tinder in Japan, using World ID.

To support this largescale expansion, a manufacturing plant for Orbs is being built in Richardson, Texas. The aim is to make Orbs widely accessible—placed at gas stations, stores, and other locations—so users can verify their identity within ten minutes. A second wave of Orb deployment is planned for other major cities like Seattle, Orlando, San Diego, and Las Vegas.

This rollout occurs amid a relatively favorable regulatory environment for cryptocurrencies in the U.S., which may facilitate wider acceptance. However, the project faces significant criticism and concerns, especially regarding privacy and biometric data security. Collecting detailed iris data raises questions about how this information is stored, used, and protected from misuse. There are worries about centralization of global identity in the hands of one entity, as well as potential privacy breaches.