Tools for Humanity, the startup behind the global human verification project co-founded by Openai CEO Sam Altman, announced on Wednesday a mobile device designed to help people determine the difference between human and AI agents.
Rich Helly, the Chief Devices Director of Humanity and former Apple Director tool, debuted his ORB Mini device at his “last” event in San Francisco. The device looks like a smartphone, with two large sensors on the front that scans the user’s eyeball.
World is a Web3 project launched by Altman and Alex Blania, formerly known as Worldcoin, and is based on the idea that ultimately it is impossible to distinguish humans from AI agents on the Internet. To address this, the world wants to create digital “human proof” tools. These announcements are part of our efforts to win sign-ups for millions of people.
After scanning your eyeballs with one of the Silver Metal Orbs, or one of the current Orb Minis, World provides a unique identifier on the blockchain to ensure you are human.
A reference to the company’s large ORB devices, the Orb Mini has the familiar shape of a smartphone and is designed to be portable. Former Apple designer Thomas Meyerhoff helped design the Orb Mini, according to people familiar with the new product.
The main purpose of ORB Mini is to validate more people, not necessarily using apps, making calls, or texting. However, the spokesman said it is unclear what the device’s ultimate feature will be.
After the event, Blania told TechCrunch that she was ultimately aiming to turn the Orb Mini into a mobile point of sale device, possibly selling sensor technology to device manufacturers.
Tools for Humanity will launch a global network in the US on Thursday, opening storefronts in Austin, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville and San Francisco. Stores where the world is already in other countries are designed for people to come in and scan their eyes by one of the company’s orbs.
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The World Project claims that 26 million people have signed up and 12 million have been verified worldwide. Today, the company has a greater presence in Latin America, South America and Asia, but Wednesday’s announcement aims to expand the project in the US
The company was underestimated by the details of the ORB Mini, but the device appears to be an effort to distribute the verification equipment more widely. The world’s purpose has changed over the years, but orbs seem to be at the heart of its mission.
The key question around the swirling world is whether one day we will partner with Sam Altman’s other venture, Openai. It is unclear whether the Orb Mini has AI capabilities or whether the AI device OpenAI is reportedly working on it.