David Edwards
OpenAI’s biometric identity initiative, World Network—formerly Worldcoin—is drawing heightened concern from privacy advocates as it prepares to launch in the United States. Marketed as a privacy-preserving solution in the age of artificial intelligence, the project is being criticized for its extensive data collection practices, particularly the use of iris-scanning technology.
FactoryDAO CEO Nick Almond spoke bluntly about X, calling the initiative “the opposite of privacy.” It’s a trap. World has already been the subject of restrictions and investigations in some places, despite OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman’s claims that user anonymity is a top priority. While regulatory examination is still going on in India, Italy, South Korea, and other countries, countries like Spain, Brazil, and Hong Kong have implemented complete prohibitions.
World hubs are located in six major cities: Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, and San Francisco. The most recent U.S. deployment was announced on April 30. By providing iris scans, which produce distinct biometric identities, users can authenticate themselves at these hubs. Across online networks, these identities are meant to act as a digital confirmation of “humanness.”
However, legal experts caution that there are serious concerns associated with the fragmented and decentralized character of U.S. privacy legislation. Enforcement is made more difficult by the lack of a comprehensive federal law on biometric data, according to public affairs and cyber lawyer Andrew Rossow. States like Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida lack specialized protections and only rely on general federal frameworks, whereas states like California and Texas have biometric-specific laws.
Furthermore, even though Texas has biometric laws, the legislation only gives the state attorney general enforcement power, depriving citizens of the ability to file a lawsuit for infractions. This patchwork regulatory framework may discourage user uptake and impede World’s larger goals.
OpenAI is under growing pressure to connect its biometric data practices with clear and enforceable privacy rules as it proceeds with its domestic deployment of World. The dispute highlights how, in the age of sophisticated artificial intelligence, there is an increasing conflict between civil freedoms and digital identity innovation.
