World Rebrands and Expands Ambitiously with Biometric Tech and Blockchain

By: Isha Das

World, previously known as Worldcoin and backed by Sam Altman, has announced a significant rebrand and ambitious plans to expand its user base to 1 billion. This move coincides with the introduction of World Chain, an Ethereum-secured Layer 2 blockchain, showcased during a keynote address held on October 17 by co-founders Sam Altman and Alex Blania. The event marked a pivotal moment in the project’s evolution, emphasizing its transition from a straightforward identity verification model to a more decentralized global network.

The rebrand aims to accelerate the platform's growth beyond its current 15 million users, 7 million of whom have been verified via its unique Orb technology. Alex Blania, CEO of Tools for Humanity, emphasized the focus on scalability and decentralization, reiterating the project’s commitment to significantly expanding its capabilities. The new orb devices, pivotal to this strategy, offer enhanced biometric verification by scanning users’ irises. These new devices are designed with 30% fewer components, increasing production capacity by a factor of three, and powered by NVIDIA's advanced Jetson system.

World’s strategy includes implementing these orbs in public spaces like cafes, and even providing delivery-on-demand service to ensure broader accessibility. This initiative aims to triple production and extend reach to new markets, notably in Buenos Aires and Mexico City, by spring 2025.

Centrally featuring in these updates is the World Chain. Built on Ethereum's framework, this Layer 2 blockchain is tailored to accommodate millions of users and has already recorded 15 million registrations. This positions World Chain as one of the most substantial human verification blockchain networks globally. In addition, the affiliated World App is undergoing updates to facilitate user management of World ID credentials, alongside offering services like World Pay and World Chat. These additions are part of a broader effort to enhance user experience and engagement, setting World apart as a leader in the digital identity space.

Noteworthy is World’s commitment to being an ‘anonymous human layer for the internet,’ a vision articulated by OpenAI’s Altman, highlighting the necessity for verified human identity in an increasingly AI-driven world. This strategic reorientation and technical innovation underscore World’s pivotal role in bridging human-technology interactions securely and seamlessly as AI technologies become more integrated into everyday functions.