WorldCoin’s Vision:
WorldCoin aims to establish a unique, verifiable human identity protocol by harnessing human biometrics that map to DNA. This approach ensures civil resistance and serves as the foundation for WorldCoin’s physical manifestation: the silver orb.

The Orb:
The orb is a physical biometric scanner that captures iris scans to verify human identity. The orb’s hardware nature and the act of placing one’s eye into it have raised dystopian concerns among the public.

Privacy and Skepticism:
WorldCoin addresses privacy concerns by implementing zero-knowledge proofs to protect user data. Despite these measures, skepticism persists due to the orb’s invasive nature and potential for data misuse.

Identity Platform:
WorldCoin’s identity platform offers a secure and efficient way to verify human identity. This platform could have implications for Sam Altman’s other company, OpenAI, and the AI-enabled internet.

Permissionless Protocol:
WorldCoin plans to transition into a permissionless protocol, allowing for the manufacturing and operation of orbs by various entities.

AI Alignment Problem:
Sam Altman discusses the AI alignment problem, emphasizing the need for AI systems to align with human values and goals.

Debrief Episode:
A debrief episode is available exclusively for Bankless citizens, covering additional insights and discussions on the AI revolution and its relation to the crypto story.

Early Motivations:
WorldCoin was conceived from the desire to tackle two critical issues: Universal Basic Income (UBI) and identity verification. The elegance of this solution lies in the potential to address both problems simultaneously.

Solving Verified Humanness:
The primary objective was to solve the problem of verified humanness. This would serve as a foundation for various applications, including identity verification and global UBI implementation.

Privacy Preservation:
A crucial aspect of the solution is preserving privacy while ensuring fraud prevention.

Initial Collaboration:
The idea for WorldCoin emerged in January 2020. Sam Altman and Max began exploring the concept six months prior. Alex joined the founding team, bringing expertise in deep learning and AI systems.

Early Involvement and Max’s Outreach:
David Hoffman, a co-founder of WorldCoin, received an email from Max explaining the early ideas behind WorldCoin. Alex, another co-founder, was approached by Max as a software engineer despite his background in vertical physics.

Exploration of Early Concepts:
The team took the high-level ideas presented by Sam and explored them in greater depth. WorldCoin’s mission to establish a verifiable human identity and potentially attach UBI to it was evident from the beginning.

Choice of Iris Scanning:
Sam explains that the decision to use iris scanning instead of palm scanning was made after considering the need to address civil resistance and distribute tokens to every human being. By using iris scanning, WorldCoin aims to create a large network that incentivizes growth and bootstraps a massive financial network. The ultimate goal is to distribute UBI through this network.

Proof of Personhood:
WorldCoin aims to solve “civil resistance,” ensuring that individuals can uniquely verify their uniqueness to a network. Without this, bad actors could disrupt the distribution of incentives and tokens. Proof of personhood is essential for scaling to all of humanity.

Biometric Modalities:
KYC (Know Your Customer) uses government civil resistance but fails due to lack of digital verification documents for over 50% of the world’s population. Web of Trust has not been successful in scaling. Biometrics offer a robust solution.

Iris as a Unique Identifier:
Face, fingerprints, and palm lack sufficient entropy for one-to-N comparisons, leading to high fraud rates. Iris has sufficient entropy, making it suitable for verifiable humanness proof.

WorldCoin Orb:
The WorldCoin Orb is a physical device used to capture iris data. It contains sensors to ensure that it is interacting with a real human being and not a display or AI. The iris code is calculated and signed on the device, and only this signed code leaves the device.

Zero-Knowledge Proofs:
The uniqueness check is separated from the user’s wallet through zero-knowledge proofs. This ensures privacy and prevents the orb from learning anything about the user’s identity.

Alignment with Crypto Values:
WorldCoin is privacy-preserving, open source, and decentralized. It aligns with the values of the crypto space despite using biometrics.

Orb Technology:
The orb contains sensors to detect human presence and prevent fraud. Most of the technology is not focused on iris scanning but on preventing gaming of the system.

Orb Hardware Necessity:
The orb was created due to the lack of suitable biometric imaging devices with sufficient resolution and fraud resistance. Custom hardware was necessary to address issues like fraud resistance and imaging resolution.

Orb’s Multi-Spectral Imaging:
The orb uses multi-spectral imaging, including infrared, 3D time of flight, and multiple wavelengths in the infrared spectrum. This ensures that the device only recognizes actual human beings, preventing fraud attempts.

Retina Scan Technology:
The orb’s retina scan technology is likely the most advanced in existence, surpassing military technology. It maps onto the iris, providing the strongest form of civil resistance.

Privacy Concerns:
WorldCoin aims to avoid the negative historical implications associated with serializing humans. Privacy is addressed through three key measures: Biometric data is not stored. The uniqueness check is separated from the user’s wallet and knowledge proofs. The setup is self-custodial, with a non-custodial wallet and zero-knowledge proofs.

Open Source and Decentralization:
The majority of the orb’s hardware is already open source, and the firmware will be released gradually. The goal is to make the entire setup fully decentralized, despite the challenges of integrating hardware.

Example of Iris Scan Process:
A user downloads the WorldCoin app, finds the nearest orb, and clicks “verify now.” Two separate key pairs are generated: one for the Ethereum wallet and one for the identity wallet. The user’s iris is scanned, and the data is processed locally on the orb. An iris code is generated and signed by the orb, then compared against all other users. The user receives a zero-knowledge proof of inclusion into the set of users, which is stored in their non-custodial wallet.

WorldCoin Flow:
Users verify their identity through a humanist and uniqueness check using their eyes via a camera. A unique embedding is calculated and signed by the device, which is then sent to a backend for verification. Users can then use this proof of inclusion to log in to various platforms without revealing personal information.

Identity Protocol:
WorldID is an identity protocol built on top of proof of personhood. Developers can use it to attach verifiable credentials and other data to a user’s identity.

Privacy and Data Collection:
WorldCoin does not collect personal information such as name, date of birth, or address. Only ramping solutions, used for onboarding funds, may request such information.

Verifiable Human Addresses:
The WorldCoin protocol generates unique public addresses that are verifiably human. This creates a list of addresses associated with real people, which is valuable in the age of AI.

Benefits of Verifiable Human Addresses:
Access to powerful AI systems and their benefits should belong to real people. AI should be developed as tools for people, not as tools against people. WorldCoin’s solution provides advantages in achieving this goal.

Worldcoin’s Privacy Vision:
Worldcoin’s privacy vision differs from traditional approaches by focusing on maximal inclusivity and allowing individuals to endorse or create content.

MetaMask Portfolio:
MetaMask Portfolio offers a holistic view of crypto portfolios across multiple chains and enables various financial actions like buying, swapping, bridging, and staking.

Toku for Token Compliance:
Toku simplifies token incentive awards management for global teams, providing legal and tax support to navigate complex regulations.

Introducing Polygon 2.0:
Polygon 2.0 aims to transform the Polygon ecosystem and Web3 through ZK innovations, enhancing scalability, liquidity, and interoperability.

Use Cases for Proof of Personhood:
Proof of Personhood enables various financial primitives, including under-collateralized lending, by establishing on-chain credit scores. It serves as a foundational building block for digital identity, allowing for unique identifiers and data storage.

Integrating OpenAI and Worldcoin:
The integration of OpenAI and Worldcoin is still in its early stages, with potential applications yet to be fully explored.

Worldcoin Token Distribution:
Worldcoin token distribution involves downloading an app, verifying with an orb, receiving a Proof of Personhood, and subsequently receiving a weekly allocation of tokens.

Worldcoin’s Moving Parts:
The Worldcoin project encompasses various components, including the orb hardware, the token, the mobile app, the scanning effort, and the layer two built on the OP stack.

Managing a Startup with Multiple Domains:
Worldcoin’s diverse team of experts across hardware, protocol, economics, and AI contributes to its operational efficiency and ability to overcome challenges.

Startups and Overcoming Challenges:
Startups often face unexpected difficulties, making it crucial to remain persistent and driven. Small, aligned teams can achieve remarkable results due to their agility and ability to learn quickly.

Alex’s Involvement in WhirlCoin:
Sam Altman’s involvement in WhirlCoin is primarily centered around providing assistance wherever needed without any specific designated area or project.

Why Layer 2 on Ethereum and Partnership with Optimism:
WorldCoin chose to build on the OP stack with Optimism due to the strong relationship and feedback from the Optimism team. The partnership includes collaboration on identity primitives and integration with the Bass protocol. The WorldCoin token will launch on OP Mainnet, but a custom Layer 2 will be developed later in the year for specific requirements.

Progress and Strategy for Iris Scanning and WorldCoin ID Distribution:
WorldCoin has scanned 1.7 million irises to date with a limited operation of 210 devices. The initial focus was on iterating on the product and ensuring scalability before scaling up operations. A prototype was developed to test the feasibility of the concept, with successful results in various locations worldwide. Currently, product teams are focused on four key markets: Buenos Aires, Lisbon, Nairobi, and Bangalore/Delhi.

Decentralization of Orb Operation:
WorldCoin aims to transition to a decentralized protocol where anyone can operate an orb and receive payment for each sign-up. The Rolecon Foundation sets the standards, allowing other entities to produce orbs and eventually operate them. This process is expected to take approximately 10 years to fully decentralize.

Challenges and Lessons Learned from Orb Operators:
WorldCoin has faced challenges in managing orb operators, including quality control, fraud detection, and empowering users. The company has learned to rely on decentralized models and experienced personnel to address these challenges.

Current Stage and Future Roadmap:
WorldCoin is still in its early stages, with a significant amount of engineering and development completed but still ahead of launch. The company has seen promising results with 600,000 MAUs in the app and 40,000 users per week with only 200 devices. There is still significant growth potential, with three and a half orders of magnitude of growth ahead.

Talent Attraction and Overcoming Initial Skepticism:
Despite initial skepticism and criticism from the crypto industry, WorldCoin has attracted talented individuals to the project. The company’s focus on solving real-world problems and the potential impact of the project have contributed to its ability to attract top talent.

Perception Shift and Team Growth:
WorldCoin has progressed steadily, attracting talented individuals and builders, and shedding its initial negative perception. The orb, a device used for iris scanning, has gained popularity within the WorldCoin community, becoming a symbol of the project’s innovation.

Early Struggles and Scaling:
The initial announcement of WorldCoin faced unexpected challenges due to a journalist leak. The team, based in Erlangen, Germany, faced difficulties managing the sudden surge in attention and scaling the company. Despite these hurdles, WorldCoin persevered and attracted exceptional talent, solidifying its position in the industry.

AI’s Role in Garnering Enthusiasm:
AI has played a crucial role in generating excitement for WorldCoin. The technology’s potential to address significant problems resonates with people, leading to increased hype and positive sentiment.

Personal Attacks and Hatred:
Sam Altman faced intense personal attacks and hatred following the announcement of WorldCoin. OpenAI, another project associated with Altman, has experienced similar extreme reactions from both supporters and detractors.

Skepticism and Privacy Concerns:
Some individuals remain unconvinced about WorldCoin’s privacy claims, despite technical explanations and documentation. The goal of scanning everyone’s irises raises concerns and questions about the potential implications.

Addressing Skepticism:
Alex, a WorldCoin representative, emphasizes the importance of transparency and open-source code. He encourages people to review the documentation and code to address their concerns and doubts.

Hiring Needs:
WorldCoin seeks to hire across various disciplines, including product, AI, and engineering roles. The company is looking for talented individuals with diverse skill sets to contribute to its mission.

Sam Altman’s Stance on AI Alignment:
The chapter concludes with a brief mention of David Hoffman’s inquiry regarding Sam Altman’s position on the AI alignment debate, leaving the discussion incomplete.

Technical Progress:
We need substantial technical advancements beyond Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback (RLHF) to achieve alignment. OpenAI’s focus on RLHF as a solution for alignment is a misconception. The path to alignment is likely to differ significantly from theoretical expectations. We need more hands-on experience with these systems and contact with reality to drive progress.

International Cooperation:
Once we have the technical capability to align superintelligence, international regulatory agreements and cooperation are crucial. We must prevent “rogue efforts” that prioritize power over alignment. Complex negotiations and agreements are necessary to ensure responsible implementation.

Mitigating Human Misuse:
We should focus not only on alignment but also on preventing humans from misusing AI systems. We need to establish rules and enforce limits to prevent intentional misuse. Systems aligned with their operators may still cause harm if they execute undesired actions.

Conclusion:
Sam Altman emphasizes the need for continued technical progress, international cooperation, and addressing the potential for human misuse in the pursuit of aligning superintelligence.