Sam Altman’s World to Launch Iris-Scanning Orb Services in the UK Starting June 12

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s venture, World, is launching its biometric identity verification services in the UK starting June 12 in London, with plans to expand to other cities. Using a spherical eye-scanning device called the Orb, World scans users’ irises to authenticate humans and prevent AI bot misuse. Verified users receive a unique ID and a cryptocurrency token, WLD. Despite privacy concerns since its 2021 launch, World encrypts and deletes biometric data, using a decentralized network for security. The technology is gaining traction with enterprises and governments, including UK regulators, as a tool to combat fraud and improve identity infrastructure.