On the night of April 30, 2025, an unusual tech event lit up the Marina district in San Francisco. The location resembled a warehouse, but the vibes were futuristic. Guests were greeted with music by Anderson .Paak, champagne in hand, and glowing white orbs that scanned people’s eyes.
The event marked the official U.S. launch of Worldcoin, a cryptocurrency project co-founded by Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, and Alex Blania, CEO of Tools for Humanity. Their mission? To create a way to verify real human users on the internet, a growing challenge in the age of advanced AI bots.
The Problem: A World Full of Bots
The internet is on the verge of being overrun by artificial intelligence. Social media, dating platforms, gaming sites, and even online customer service chats are increasingly filled with bots, many of which are becoming indistinguishable from real people. As AI grows smarter, it will become harder to know who or what we are talking to online.
Worldcoin proposes a bold solution to this problem: World ID.
What Is World ID?
World ID is a digital proof of personhood. It’s similar to having a government ID, but for the internet. Instead of using passwords or two-factor authentication, World ID verifies that you are a real, unique human through biometric data, specifically, your iris.
To get a World ID, users must scan their eyes using a device called the Orb. This silver, bowling-ball-sized device captures a detailed image of your iris and converts it into a unique numeric code. Importantly, Worldcoin says it does not store the actual image of your eye, only the encrypted data linked to it. The code stays on your device, and privacy protections are built in.
The Orb Experience: Science Fiction Meets Reality
At the San Francisco launch, hundreds of guests experienced the Orb firsthand. The process is surprisingly simple. You stare into the glowing white sphere, which scans your eye in seconds. Then, you complete a few steps on the World App, and—voilà—you get your World ID and some free Worldcoin tokens.
The sign-up bonus for new users was worth about $40 in Worldcoin as of the event night.
The vibe may have felt like something out of a sci-fi movie, but for the creators of Worldcoin, this is just the beginning.
Backed by a Powerful Vision
Sam Altman’s name carries weight in the tech world. As head of OpenAI, he’s behind major AI advancements like ChatGPT. His interest in building a secure, human-first digital identity system signals how seriously some in Silicon Valley take the threat of AI-generated deception.
Co-founder Alex Blania explained during the event that the aim is to build an identity layer for the internet. This identity will be globally available, privacy-preserving, and not tied to any one government.
Blania and Altman believe that, without a trusted way to prove our humanity online, the internet could become chaotic and unreliable as AI becomes more powerful.
What Is Worldcoin? Is It Safe?
Worldcoin is the cryptocurrency that powers this identity system. It’s designed to reward users for joining the network and verifying their identity. After scanning their iris and receiving a World ID, users get Worldcoin, which they can spend, send, or exchange like any other crypto asset.
The company hopes this model will encourage global participation, especially in places where people lack formal identification or access to modern banking.
Privacy is one of the biggest concerns around biometric systems. Worldcoin claims it has designed the Orb and its systems to minimize data collection and maximize user control. The iris image is not stored, only the encrypted identifier. Users retain control of their data, and participation is completely voluntary.
Still, the idea of scanning your eye for money—and for an online identity—makes many people uncomfortable. Critics argue that the system could be abused or misused if not carefully regulated.
Worldcoin says its mission is long-term and focused on transparency and decentralization. The project’s white paper outlines plans to open-source much of its technology and to eventually hand off governance to the community.
What’s Next for Worldcoin?
With its U.S. debut now underway, Worldcoin plans to roll out more Orbs across major cities. As adoption grows, the company envisions a future where your World ID will help you log in, vote, or participate in online communities without revealing your real name or personal details.
Worldcoin has already launched in several countries before its U.S. arrival. The global response has been mixed, but tens of thousands have signed up. The team is optimistic that as digital and physical identities blend, tools like World ID will become essential.
A Glimpse of the Future?
A night of music and orbs might seem like just another quirky tech launch in San Francisco, but the deeper implications are serious. As artificial intelligence gets better at imitating us, the ability to prove you’re human might become one of the most valuable things online.
Worldcoin’s approach is experimental and maybe even controversial. But it’s also ambitious. Whether it becomes a new global standard or fades away like many tech fads, only time will tell. For now, it’s another bold attempt to reshape the future, one iris scan at a time.
