World Network (formerly WorldCoin)’s WLD token soared more than 27% on Wednesday following a Forbes report linking the controversial crypto project to OpenAI’s broader efforts to combat bots online.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman wants to build a “biometric social network” that would allow online platforms to authenticate users and eliminate AI-generated accounts, Forbes reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Sources familiar with the project’s development told Forbes that the OpenAI team is considering using Apple’s Face ID and World Orb, which scans a person’s iris and provides a unique ID.
World is a crypto project co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman that raised $135 million in token sales to a16z and Bain Capital Crypto last year. The core premise of the project is World ID, a decentralized, privacy-focused identity system that uses Orb, a custom-built biometric device that scans a user’s iris and generates a unique identifier that complies with privacy standards.
The token soared immediately after the report, briefly outperforming most major cryptocurrencies, even though no formal cooperation between OpenAI and World was confirmed.
Since its inception, the World Network has attracted both curiosity and criticism. The project claims to have authenticated millions of people around the world, but has also faced backlash from regulators, including a suspension in Kenya and inquiries about how it handles personal data in the UK.
Still, the idea of tying biometrics to online identity continues to gain momentum, especially as generative AI tools flood social media with spam and misinformation.
Read more: The secret behind the release of World Coin: Inside the orb
