Sam Altman’s World Debuts Orb Mini to Verify Humans with Eye Scans

Tools for Humanity, the company behind Sam Altman’s World project, has introduced the Orb Mini—a new, portable device that uses eye-scanning technology to verify human identity in a world with increasingly more AI agents acting on behalf of humans. The device was revealed Wednesday during the company’s “At Last” event in San Francisco.

The Orb Mini resembles a smartphone but is designed with a very different purpose: to determine whether a user is human or AI, and to issue them a blockchain-based digital ID. Unlike phones, it’s not meant for calls or apps, but to expand the reach of World’s core goal—“proof of human” verification.

The Orb Mini is World’s next step in addressing the growing challenge of distinguishing humans from AI in online environments.

A Familiar Face, A New Form

The device is a scaled-down version of the original silver Orb scanners that World has used in storefronts around the globe. While the larger Orbs have been deployed in cities across Latin America, Asia, and South America, the Orb Mini is designed for portability and wider distribution.

Here’s what sets the Orb Mini apart from its larger predecessor:

• Designed by former Apple designer Thomas Meyerhoff

• Features two large front-facing sensors for eye scanning

• Currently lacks full smartphone functionality

• Intended to increase global user verification

Tools for Humanity says the Orb Mini is still evolving. While its current focus is biometric scanning, future versions could become mobile point-of-sale devices or license their sensor technology to other device manufacturers.

Launching in the U.S. with New Storefronts

In tandem with the launch, Tools for Humanity announced that its World Network will officially expand to the U.S. starting Thursday. The company plans to open storefronts in:

• Austin

• Atlanta

• Los Angeles

• Miami

• Nashville

• San Francisco

These locations will allow users to verify their identities by having their irises scanned—a prerequisite for receiving a unique digital ID within the World system.

According to the company, while 26 million people have signed up globally, only 12 million have completed biometric verification—an in-person step required to receive a blockchain-based World ID. While not specifically disclosed, the remaining users may be awaiting access to a nearby Orb scanner or may have opted not to proceed with the iris scan required for full verification.

The Bigger Picture: World, AI, and Sam Altman

World, formerly known as Worldcoin, was co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Alex Blania. Its long-term mission is to create a global identity layer for the internet—one that’s resistant to AI impersonation and scalable across borders.

The launch of Orb Mini has reignited questions about whether Altman’s two ventures—World and OpenAI—might eventually converge. While there's no confirmation, the rising need for identity verification in an AI-driven world suggests potential intersections.

What This Means

For Individuals: Tools like the Orb Mini point to a future where identity verification could become a standard part of digital interaction—similar to CAPTCHA or image-selection tools used today. As AI becomes more capable of mimicking human behavior—and as AI agents begin taking actions on behalf of humans—verifying that a person is, in fact, human may become essential for activities like logging into banking platforms, securing digital wallets, accessing healthcare portals, or even participating in online voting systems for civic or organizational elections.

However, this shift also raises growing privacy and ethical concerns, especially around the collection and use of biometric data, such as iris scans. Unlike passwords, biometric identifiers are permanent and uniquely tied to the individual—they can't be changed if compromised. Questions remain about how this data is stored, who has access, whether it is encrypted or anonymized, and how users can consent or revoke access.

As more companies explore biometric verification, the tradeoff between security and personal autonomy is becoming a defining issue of the AI era.

For World and Tools for Humanity: The launch of the Orb Mini marks a strategic effort to scale human verification beyond physical storefronts. While the company continues to open scanning centers in major cities, the portable form factor of the Orb Mini allows for greater flexibility—potentially enabling mobile enrollment, temporary pop-ups at events, or deployment in regions without established infrastructure. The company hasn’t detailed its distribution model, but the Orb Mini appears to be intended for use by authorized operators, possibly at pop-ups, mobile enrollment sites, or partner locations. Over time, this could make biometric verification more accessible and reduce reliance on permanent, high-cost installations.

For the Broader Tech Industry: As digital identity becomes harder to prove—and easier to fake—the demand for trusted systems that can authenticate humanity in real time will likely grow. The Orb Mini may serve as a prototype for a new class of verification hardware, combining biometrics, blockchain, and real-world distribution. Its launch reflects a broader industry shift toward hardware-backed identity solutions that operate independently of traditional usernames, passwords, or centralized login platforms. As AI agents proliferate, platforms may increasingly rely on physical-world verification mechanisms to secure access, build trust, and protect against manipulation at scale.

Looking Ahead

The Orb Mini marks more than a product release—it represents a new frontier in how we manage identity in the age of AI. As digital interactions grow more complex and impersonation risks increase, tools that can reliably distinguish between humans and AI may become as foundational as passwords or two-factor authentication once were.

This shift raises questions well beyond technology: Who should own our identities? Who gets to verify them? And as biometric systems become more widespread, how do we balance convenience with autonomy and oversight?

World’s approach—grounded in physical hardware, blockchain-backed IDs, and a sweeping global rollout—could be a model for others, or a cautionary tale, depending on how it's received. Trust, transparency, and inclusivity will be critical to whether tools like the Orb Mini are adopted or resisted.

We’re not just building smarter devices—we’re building the infrastructure that will define who we are online, and who gets to prove it.

Editor’s Note: This article was created by Alicia Shapiro, CMO of AiNews.com, with writing, image, and idea-generation support from ChatGPT, an AI assistant. However, the final perspective and editorial choices are solely Alicia Shapiro’s. Special thanks to ChatGPT for assistance with research and editorial support in crafting this article.