Why in the News?
World ID is Sam Altman’s ambitious project to create a secure, biometric-based digital identity for everyone in the age of AI.
What is World ID?
- World ID is a digital identity system launched by Sam Altman’s company Tools for Humanity as part of the Worldcoin project in July 2023.
- It aims to verify that a person is a real, unique human being—especially in an age of AI-generated bots—using biometric iris scans.
- How Does It Work?
- The identity is created using a device called the Orb, which captures the iris pattern and generates a unique cryptographic code (not storing the image itself).
- This ID is then linked to the World App, and the user can access various services while proving they are human—without revealing their actual identity.
- The system is decentralized and uses blockchain technology to store identity proofs securely.
Key Features of World ID:
- Biometric Verification: Uses iris scanning through the Orb to establish a unique identity.
- Global Access: Users from over 160 countries have access to Worldcoin and World ID features.
- Decentralized Protocol: Built on open-source, privacy-preserving cryptography, such as zero-knowledge proofs.
- World App Integration: Enables users to locate Orbs, receive Worldcoins, and use the digital ID across apps.
- World Chain: A blockchain linked to World ID that supports apps and services tied to identity.
- Crypto Incentive: Users may receive Worldcoin (WLD) tokens for enrolling.
- Privacy Controls: Promises anonymity, non-surveillance use, and code transparency.
- Hardware Dependency: Requires a physical Orb or the new Orb Mini to generate IDs.
How it differs from Aadhaar?
| World ID | Aadhaar | |
| Ownership | Private project by Tools for Humanity | Government of India |
| Launch Year | 2023 | 2009 |
| Technology Used | Iris scan via Orb; Blockchain-based ID | Biometric + Demographic data via central database |
| Legal Framework | No national law backing it yet | Aadhaar Act, 2016 |
| Purpose | Global ID to prove human uniqueness | National ID for accessing services & welfare |
| Data Privacy | Claims privacy via zero-knowledge cryptography | Data regulated by UIDAI under Indian law |
| Adoption Level | 12 million users globally | Over 1.3 billion users in India |
| Hardware Needed | Orb device | Fingerprint/iris scanners at enrollment centers |
| Verification Use | AI-bot detection, global ID use | Government subsidies, banking, KYC, etc. |
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