ChatGPT Boss Launches Eyeball Scanning Crypto Project - BBC News

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Summary:

  • AI entrepreneur Sam Altman launches Worldcoin, a project offering cryptocurrency for iris scans.
  • Participants receive £40 worth of world coins after scanning their eyeballs in designated physical locations.
  • Critics raise concerns about data privacy and the handling of sensitive biometric information.
  • Despite skepticism, Sam Altman remains committed to the ambitious project, emphasizing the importance of verifying human identity online.

AI entrepreneur Sam Altman has launched a groundbreaking project that offers people cryptocurrency in exchange for a scan of their eyeballs. The project, named Worldcoin, aims to confirm if someone is a human or a robot online by utilizing iris scanning technology. Participants receive £40 worth of a new digital currency, world coin, after visiting physical scanners in various cities around the world.


Worldcoin, led by Sam Altman, the entrepreneur behind Chapter GPT, has initiated a remarkable project that sets itself apart from most cryptocurrencies. Instead of buying coins with their own money, individuals are paid to be part of the project. Participants are required to find silver orbs located in 35 different countries and undergo an iris scan by looking into the orb. The scan serves as proof of their human identity, which they must link to their mobile phones. In return, they receive 25 world coins, currently valued at around $2 per coin.

While the concept of getting cryptocurrency for an eyeball scan may seem strange and somewhat dystopian, it has attracted significant interest, with more than two million volunteers already participating in the project. Most of the volunteers, primarily men in their 20s and 30s, are drawn not only by the monetary incentive but also by the idea of proving their personhood in the digital realm. Sam Altman emphasizes that Worldcoin's ultimate goal is not just distributing crypto coins but rather establishing a means to verify one's human identity, especially as AI chatbots become increasingly lifelike.

The use of iris scans raises concerns about data privacy and security. Worldcoin claims to use the scanned data to create a unique code tied to an individual's iris, stored in a database solely for verification purposes. According to the organizers, the data is promptly deleted after the process. However, such a vast collection of sensitive biometric data requires a significant level of trust in the company and the security measures in place.

Despite criticisms from some figures in the crypto community, including Vitalik Buterin and Jack Dorsey, Sam Altman welcomes the feedback and views it as fuel for the ambitious project. He acknowledges that the initiative might succeed or fail, but he is determined to give it a try.


As the Worldcoin project gains traction, debates about the intersection of biometrics and cryptocurrency continue. The potential risks and benefits of such a system are being closely watched by tech enthusiasts and privacy advocates alike.

Location: London, UK

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