Digital Passports and Crypto Combine in Sam Altman’s Worldcoin

Worldcoin, Sam Altman’s newest venture, is riding high on a wave of interest, with 2 million users already registered. Altman, renowned as the CEO of OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, has shown his multifaceted abilities by introducing Worldcoin. The purpose of this crypto venture? A “global digital passport,” supported by zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs.

What is Worldcoin?

In its essence, Worldcoin is more than a cryptocurrency. It’s a platform with a mission to revolutionize digital identification. This novel idea leverages a protocol named World ID, currently in beta, but already boasting two million users. The keen interest in Altman’s venture can’t be denied. World ID envisions an era where your smartphone houses your “global digital passport,” a foolproof way to verify your identity.

Users’ privacy stands fortified behind the walls of ZK proofs. ZK, a sophisticated technology, works by verifying claims without revealing the underlying data to others. This feature holds great potential to revolutionize digital identity verification.

Users must first scan their eyeballs to join the World ID by Sam Altman. This scan results in a unique “IrisHash,” a key element for confirming user uniqueness. Some may balk at the thought of such a scan, but the purpose it serves is two-fold.

It paves the way for addressing key challenges in “the age of artificial intelligence.” Firstly, it thwarts “sybil attacks,” curbing the practice of creating multiple accounts for transactions and verification. Secondly, it inhibits AI-generated misinformation, a rising concern in today’s world.

The real-world impact of this project is yet to be measured. Will people trade an eyeball scan for these advantages? Only time will tell. Yet, Worldcoin offers a unique incentive – those who participate receive a reward in the form of the cryptocurrency itself.

While Worldcoin is making strides, it isn’t poised to rival Bitcoin anytime soon. The centralized nature of its protocol is a stark contrast to Bitcoin’s decentralized ethos. Moreover, how governments around the globe will respond to a project like “Worldcoin” gaining momentum is an open question.