Artificial Intelligence: The Orb, new AI tech by Tools for Humanity, scans your iris to prove user is human
Publish Date: 2026-05-28 15:57:00
Source Domain: abc7news.com
- Introduction of the Orb Device: The Orb, created by Tools for Humanity co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, aims to distinguish humans from bots online using iris scanning.
- Verification Process: Users verify their identity by standing in front of the Orb, which captures and encrypts an image of their face and iris to be sent to the World ID app.
- Multiple Sensor Confirmation: The Orb uses various sensors to confirm a user’s three-dimensional human identity.
- Growing Adoption: The device is being adopted by platforms like Zoom and DocuSign and is also being considered by event organizers to secure concert ticket purchases.
- Data Security: The Orb does not store personal information in a traditional database; it issues an ID on a user’s phone and destroys its own copies of the photo once verification is completed.
- Concerns About Privacy: Experts like UC Law Assistant Professor Zac Henderson warn about the risks associated with biometric data, highlighting its permanence and the lack of reversibility if compromised.
- Mixed Public Reaction: Public opinion is divided with some, like Pacifica resident Paul Volfovski, seeing the technology as innovative and unavoidable, while others find it unsettling.
- Perception of the Future: There is a sense among some observers that widespread adoption of biometric verification may be inevitable despite ongoing debates around privacy and security.
