Tools for Humanity, the identity verification startup co-founded by OpenAIs Sam Altman, is bringing its iris-scanning Orbs to the UK as part of its broader global expansion, according to Fortune.
Beginning in London, with plans to extend to five other major cities, the Orbs will be installed in public retail locations and shopping centers, eventually becoming self-service kiosks. The device scans a users iris to generate a digital credential known as World ID, intended to differentiate humans from increasingly convincing AI bots and deepfakes. Users who opt in can also receive a crypto token called Worldcoin. While the company claims biometric data remains stored only on users phones, its technology has triggered regulatory concerns, prompting investigations in Germany and Argentina and bans in Spain and Hong Kong. Chief Legal Officer Damien Kieran stated that the company has been in contact with UK regulators in preparation for the launch. The platform currently has 1,500 active Orbs and plans to deploy 12,000 more within the year.
Beginning in London, with plans to extend to five other major cities, the Orbs will be installed in public retail locations and shopping centers, eventually becoming self-service kiosks. The device scans a users iris to generate a digital credential known as World ID, intended to differentiate humans from increasingly convincing AI bots and deepfakes. Users who opt in can also receive a crypto token called Worldcoin. While the company claims biometric data remains stored only on users phones, its technology has triggered regulatory concerns, prompting investigations in Germany and Argentina and bans in Spain and Hong Kong. Chief Legal Officer Damien Kieran stated that the company has been in contact with UK regulators in preparation for the launch. The platform currently has 1,500 active Orbs and plans to deploy 12,000 more within the year.
