Sam Altman Ready with the Orb to rolling out in USA
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI and influential tech entrepreneur, is bringing his ambitious biometric identity project, World (formerly known as Worldcoin), to the United States. In a major event held last night in San Francisco, World announced it is rolling out its innovative Orb scanner technology in major U.S. cities, starting with Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, and of course, San Francisco itself.
World’s Orb scanner is an eye-catching device designed to scan your iris to create a unique digital identity, securely stored on a blockchain. Altman, who has expressed growing concerns about AI-powered bots and fake identities proliferating across the internet, sees World as a practical solution to verifying real human identities and combating fraud online.
Tonight's event also marked the unveiling of strategic partnerships that will make World even more accessible and integrated into daily life. Notable collaborations include Match Group, allowing users on dating platforms like Tinder to verify identities securely; Razer, hinting at potential integrations within gaming communities; and Visa, which plans to offer a dedicated World debit card, significantly expanding the project's practical applications.
Despite challenges and privacy concerns, including regulatory scrutiny from locations like Brazil, Hong Kong, Kenya, and New York, World has already successfully onboarded over 12 million users globally. With the U.S. launch, Altman and his team aim to rapidly expand this number, deploying up to 7,500 Orb devices nationwide by the end of this year. Additionally, a portable "Orb mini" is slated for release in 2026, ensuring even wider accessibility.
The introduction of World in the U.S. not only represents a significant technological advancement but also reflects a broader ambition to create an inclusive and secure global digital identity network. Altman's vision is clear: if enough people adopt this tech, we could see a profound reduction in digital scams, identity theft, and AI-generated fraud, making the internet safer and more trustworthy for everyone.
Stay tuned as World continues its rollout—and perhaps soon, you'll see an Orb scanner near you, shaping the future of digital identities.
"As someone who closely follows the intersection of AI, privacy, and digital identity, I find World’s U.S. rollout a compelling moment in tech history. It’s not just about scanning eyes—it’s about reclaiming human authenticity online. Sam Altman’s vision may sound futuristic, but the Orb is here, and it’s aiming to solve one of the most urgent problems of the AI era: trust."