By Marlene Polywka | Jul 28, 2023 3:41 pm
Sam Altman is best known for his company OpenAI, which is behind what is probably the most well-known chatbot, ChatGPT. Now the entrepreneur has started a new visionary project: Worldcoin.
OpenAI boss Sam Altman has given the go-ahead for the cryptocurrency project he co-founded called “Worldcoin”. A wide variety of ideas from artificial intelligence (AI), identity in the digital space and basic income end up in one pot. The paradox: With Worldcoin, he wants to counteract his own major development, the chatbot ChatGPT, to a certain extent. TECHBOOK explains concept and technology.
What is Worldcoin?
The topic of AI is currently occupying many industries and the fundamental question arises as to which tasks ChatGPT and Co. could take on in the future. So what on the one hand appears as if certain human labor could then no longer be needed, on the other hand also enhances human identity in contrast to AI. This is where Worldcoin comes in.
The core offer of the project consists of the digital identity of a person, the so-called World-ID. This is a “new decentralized identity protocol,” the website says. Only real people can explicitly receive the ID and no chatbots generated by AI; accordingly, it also serves to differentiate in the digital realm. According to Worldcoin, data protection is the top priority. It is explicitly not about creating a digital ID document, but rather digital proof of human personality. The cryptocurrency WLD, which can be managed via the corresponding app, is also attached to the ID.
The app is already widely availablePhoto: TECHBOOK via Worldcoin
Customers who have already registered in certain countries received the WLD cryptocurrency token from Worldcoin at the start. In the beta phase of the project, there were two million users. With the launch, Worldcoin is expanding operations to 35 cities in 20 countries.
Identification with novel orb and scanner
In order to receive the World ID, the customer must register for a personal iris scan with the Worldcoin Orb. It is a silver ball the size of a bowling ball. Once the iris scan confirms that the person in question is a real person, a World ID is created. Without this ID, you cannot fully access the functions of the app and therefore not access the cryptocurrency either.
An important element for the world ID is the orb, with which one can identify oneselfPhoto: TECHBOOK via Worldcoin
The cryptocurrency aspect of World IDs is also important because cryptocurrency blockchains can store them in a way that preserves privacy, Worldcoin co-founder Alex Blania told Reuters. They are also not from
can be controlled or switched off from a single point.
The idea behind Worldcoin
Behind the Worldcoin project is Tools for Humanity, based in San Francisco and Berlin, a company founded by Blania and Altman. Many AI experts are now calling for quick and strict rules for so-called “generative” AI such as ChatGPT, because the risks associated with disinformation campaigns, among other things, cannot be assessed in the future. Among other things, they see a threat to democracy in the threatening flood of artificially created images, videos and texts.
In Altman’s view, Worldcoin can play an important role in how the economy could be transformed by generative AI in the future. “People will be overwhelmed by AI, which will have a massive economic impact,” he told Reuters. Altman referred to the idea of a universal basic income (UBI). Under such a benefit program, which would typically be run by governments, each individual would be entitled to unconditional cash transfers. Since AI “will take over more and more of the work that is done by humans today”, a UBI could also help to combat income inequality. And the World-ID could have a monitoring task in order to rule out cyber fraud.
“We believe that if successful, Worldcoin could dramatically increase economic opportunity, scale a reliable solution for distinguishing humans and AI on the internet while preserving privacy, enable global democratic processes, and eventually provide a potential path to an AI-powered UBI.”
worldcoin.com
According to Altman, an almost utopian world with a universal basic income is still a long way off. According to Altman, however, it remains to be seen how appropriate cash benefits could be distributed in such a future. However, Worldcoin laid the foundation for such programs to become a reality at all. “We think we need to start experimenting with things so we can figure out what to do.”
With material from Reuters.