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According to the CEO of Tools for Humanity, the Orb device, designed for scanning eye bulbs in order to authenticate the humanity of subjects, will undergo an update as part of the Worldcoin project, with the aim of making it aesthetically more similar to an Apple product.
Let’s see below all the details.
Summary
Worldcoin: transforming Orb into a product similar to those signed by Apple
As anticipated, according to TechCrunch, the CEO of Tools for Humanity, Alex Blania, has announced plans for a significant upgrade of the iris scanning sphere, known as Orb.
The goal is to make the device more similar to an Apple product, with Blania anticipating a version of the new Orb expected in the first half of this year.
Specifically characterized by a “much friendlier” design and potentially inspired by Apple’s famous style.
Blania has admitted that opinions on the scanning sphere can vary greatly among users, defining people’s relationship with the device as a matter of “hate” or “love”.
Meanwhile, the Worldcoin project, known for its controversial practice of iris scanning in exchange for cryptocurrency, continues to receive media attention.
Tools of Humanity, founded in collaboration with Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, is involved in the development of the project.
The ambitions of Worldcoin, however, have attracted the attention of government agencies in several countries.
In France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, investigations have been launched to assess Worldcoin’s compliance with data privacy guidelines.
Launched in Singapore at the end of last year, the project immediately faced obstacles such as suspension in India and the cessation of registration services in Brazil and France.
Mass identity verification in Argentina for Worldcoin
Worldcoin has recently recorded a significant increase in verification activity, with nearly 16,000 Argentinians undergoing the process in just one day at the end of December.
This has brought the total number of verified individuals in the South American nation to over 500,000, representing over 1% of the total population.
The increase in demand occurs simultaneously with a significant appreciation of the value of the WLD token of the project. In response to this growing demand, Worldcoin has implemented a significant update to its World ID service in Argentina.
The goal is to improve inclusivity and efficiently manage growing demands. The update allows Argentinians to locate nearby Orb verification hubs and schedule verification appointments more easily.
Despite the recent increase in the prices of the WLD token, which has seen a 15% rise to $2.79 in the past few weeks, the Worldcoin project faces significant regulatory challenges.
The privacy regulatory authorities in Kenya, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany have launched separate investigations into Worldcoin’s practices, particularly regarding the collection of biometric data for identity verification.
While the token shows signs of stability in price movements, Worldcoin is facing strict regulatory scrutiny globally.
In particular, emphasizing the need for constant monitoring and compliance within a continuously evolving regulatory framework.
OpenAI is preparing to revolutionize semiconductor chip production
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, is planning to use the funds raised for the creation of semiconductor production facilities, according to informed sources in a news reported on January 19th.
Altman’s discussions with potential major investors are aimed at securing the necessary funds to develop chip production facilities, known as fabs.
The ambitious project involves collaboration with leading chip manufacturers, with a distributed network of fabs on a global scale.
G42, based in Abu Dhabi, and SoftBank Group in Japan, are among the companies that are discussing with OpenAI, although the complete list of partners and funders has not yet been finalized.
Since October 2023, negotiations with G42 have aimed to raise between 8 and 10 billion dollars, as reported.
The current state of discussions is still uncertain, but the report mentions Intel, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, and Samsung Electronics as possible collaborators of OpenAI.
The race for investments in semiconductor chips does not only concern OpenAI.
In fact, Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, announced on January 18th that his company intends to invest significantly in specialized chips for the development of new models and products of generative artificial intelligence (AI).
Altman, after his return to OpenAI in November 2023, is relaunching efforts to secure funding for global semiconductor chip production, discussing the plan with Microsoft, which has expressed interest.
In addition to the interest in chips, Altman considers the future of AI to be linked to an ambitious, but still uncertain and non-existent form of energy at the moment.