Critics view Worldcoin’s ID process as a privacy risk, while others see it as financial security in the AI era. We experiment.
Worldcoin’s objective is to validate my true identity as a human being, as clarified by one of their staff members at a London office building. This cryptocurrency venture employs an optical scan to achieve this verification.
Without undergoing the optical scan process, Worldcoin does not confirm your status as a human, thereby denying access to cryptocurrency. Embracing financial security in the era of artificial intelligence, this measure ensures that only genuine individuals gain access to their crypto services, preventing potential robotic involvement.
Worldcoin, co-founded by Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, has raised privacy concerns due to its ambitious goals in the realm of cryptocurrencies. Altman, along with his co-founder Alex Blania, envisions Worldcoin as a project with lofty aspirations, aiming to facilitate “global democratic processes” and potentially fund a universal basic income through the prosperity generated by AI.
Those intrigued by cryptocurrency are enrolling in Worldcoin using the WorldApp. Early sign-ups on Friday were rewarded with a “genesis grant” of 25 Worldcoin tokens, valued at around £40.
However, to attain verification after the initial registration, users must undergo an eye scan by visiting a designated scanning “Orb.” These Orbs are located in over 35 cities worldwide, including a building in Shoreditch, east London. According to Worldcoin, approximately 2 million individuals have already signed up for this process.
After scanning your eyeballs, Worldcoin generates a “World ID,” which serves as a digital passport to verify your unique and authentic identity while maintaining anonymity. Through this World ID, you gain access to your cryptocurrency wallet using your smartphone.
The orbs, silver globes about the size of a football, are operated by Worldcoin staff. Instead of traditional name badges, the staff’s company shirts simply display the words: “a unique human.”
The certification process to establish your human identity takes approximately 15 seconds. A staff member seeks your consent for the procedure and guides you through the scanning process. Afterward, you need to confirm that you are 18 years or older and agree to the provided terms and conditions.
During the verification process, the Orb positions itself approximately 20cm from your face, equipped with both a wide-angle camera and a telephoto camera to capture your iris. As you observe a ring light completing a full circle, your account gets verified. Subsequently, you are provided with a World ID, certified by the Orb, which serves as your “proof of personhood.” Unless you’ve given consent for storage, your image is promptly deleted following the verification.
