Sam Altman’s Worldcoin has rebranded to “World,” unveiling new features at an event in San Francisco. Altman and co-founder Alex Blania introduced major improvements, especially to the Orb technology. Originally designed for iris recognition, the Orb now features Nvidia’s Jetson chipset, boosting AI processing power and allowing for self-service kiosks, which will make the technology more accessible. Users will also be able to request an Orb for home use through an app, similar to ordering pizza, according to chief designer Henry Heley.
World’s primary product, its Iris Scanning technology, is crucial for distinguishing humans from bots, especially as AI becomes more prevalent. However, World is broadening its methods of identification. In addition to the enhanced Orb, the company now offers alternatives like using NFC-enabled passports to verify citizenship, age, and identity without scanning irises. Plans are also in place to integrate the identity verification system with messaging platforms such as FaceTime, WhatsApp, and Zoom.
World is updating its mobile app to include “mini-apps” developed by third parties. Since its launch in July 2023, the platform has gained over 10 million users, 7 million of whom are verified. Altman and Blania are aiming to grow the user base to 700 million or more, noting that a new user joins every two seconds. Following the event, Worldcoin’s token (WLD) dropped by 5%, now trading at $2.14.
