Tools for Humanity (the startup behind the World Human Verification project, co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman) unveiled a mobile device Wednesday designed to help people distinguish between a human agent and an AI agent. Rich Heley, Tools for Humanity’s Chief Device Officer, and former Apple Director, unveiled the Orb Mini during its “At Last” event in San Francisco. The device looks similar to a smartphone and has two large sensors at the front that scan users’ eyes.
World is a web3 project that was started by Altman, Alex Blania, and Alex Blania. It was previously known as Worldcoin. The project is based on a belief that humans will be unable to tell the difference between AI agents and humans on the internet. World is creating digital “proof of humans” tools to address this problem. These announcements are part its effort to get as many people to sign up.
World will verify your human status by scanning your eyeball using one of their silver metal Orbs, or Orb Minis.
A Tools for Humanity representative told TechCrunch that the Orb Mini is a smaller version of the larger Orb device. It has the familiar smartphone shape and was designed to be portable. According to people familiar with this new product, Thomas Meyerhoff, an ex-Apple designer, was involved in the design of the Orb Mini.
Orb Mini’s main purpose is to verify more users, not necessarily for them to use apps, call, or send text messages. The spokesperson said that it is unclear what the ultimate functionality of the device will be.
Blania told TechCrunch that it aims to turn the Orb Mini eventually into a mobile POS device and sell the sensor technology.
Tools for Humanity will also launch its World Network in America on Thursday. Storefronts will be opened in Austin, Atlanta Los Angeles, Miami Nashville and San Francisco. The stores, which World has in other countries already, are designed to allow people to come in and be scanned by an Orb.
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According to the World project, 26 million people around the globe have signed up and 12 million are verified. The company is more prominent in Latin America, South America and Asia, but Wednesday’s announcement was to expand the project to the U.S. Orb remains at the core of World’s mission, even though its objectives have changed over the years.
One of the key questions that has been circulating around World is if it will ever partner with Sam Altman’s other venture, OpenAI. It’s not clear if the Orb Mini has any AI features or if it’s connected to the AI device OpenAI, which is reportedly in development. Maxwell Zeff, a senior reporter for TechCrunch who specializes in AI and emerging technology, is
Maxwell Zeff. Zeff covered the rise and fall of AI, as well as the Silicon Valley Bank Crisis, for Gizmodo and MSNBC. He is based out of San Francisco. When he is not reporting, you can find him hiking, biking and exploring the Bay Area food scene.
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