Summary:
With the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, it has become increasingly difficult to distinguish between humans and AI in digital environments. To address this need for verifying human identity, Tools for Humanity has developed the World ID, a digital identity infrastructure that uses zero-knowledge proof technology to confirm identity without revealing personal information.
In addition to basic identity verification, World ID also operates as a digital identity platform. It supports SDK integration and optional identity verification, making it applicable in multiple industries.
The World Network project, founded by physicist Alex Blania and AI pioneer Sam Altman, aims to identify and protect real humans in the digital environment while promoting responsible technology use. The core concept of World Network is human identity verification, which is achieved through iris recognition, a highly reliable biometric feature.
The human identity verification process involves installing the World App on a smartphone, creating a World ID, scanning the World ID QR code with an Orb device for verification, capturing iris and facial images, generating an iris code for integrity verification, and securely transmitting the encrypted iris code to the user’s smartphone for decryption using public and private keys.
World ID, apart from being a certificate, serves as a flexible digital identity platform that can be integrated with various services through SDK and can include additional identity information as needed. It has already been integrated with major service platforms like Shopify, Telegram, and Reddit, and has over 7 million verified users in more than 160 countries.
World ID’s unique identity verification system addresses challenges in social media services, subscription services, and the concert market. By limiting each person to one account, it prevents the creation of fake accounts and reduces platform abuse. It also improves cost efficiency in the subscription service industry and enhances fairness and efficiency in the concert market.
Overall, World ID is becoming a new standard for digital identity verification in the AI era, providing secure and privacy-preserving solutions.ID has the potential to improve overall operational efficiency and increase audience satisfaction.
5.4. The Application of World ID in E-Commerce
Example of Fake Reviews
Image /
WIRED
World ID has significant potential applications in the e-commerce industry. In recent years, the e-commerce industry has been developing rapidly, but with the advancement of artificial intelligence technology, the industry also faces new challenges.
One major issue is the reliability of review systems, as users’ purchasing decisions heavily rely on these reviews.
Artificial intelligence technology has made it easier to generate large-scale fake reviews, which undermines users’ ability to make rational purchasing decisions.
According to research by the UK government, 11-15% of reviews for common products in the UK e-commerce market may be fake.
Large platforms like Amazon also face this issue, leading to an increase in user complaints.
Most e-commerce platforms usually address the reliability issues of reviews only after problems occur, while World ID offers a proactive solution. By only allowing verified real shoppers through World ID to write reviews, it can effectively reduce AI-generated fake reviews.
This approach helps buyers make more rational decisions and increases the reliability of the entire e-commerce ecosystem.
5.5. The Application of World ID in Crime Prevention, Including Deepfakes
Image /
KnowBe4
A prominent example is North Korean developers using deepfake technology to forge identities to gain employment.
With the increase in remote work positions, such incidents are also on the rise. These developers were found using false identities to participate in projects like Injective, Fantom, and SushiSwap.
They used deepfake technology in the verification process, such as impersonating legitimate applicants in video interviews. Once successfully employed, they attempted to infiltrate internal systems and steal funds.
In February of this year, a security breach at the multinational company Arup highlighted the severity of this issue.
Criminals impersonated the company’s CFO, using fake voices and images in video conferences to deceive employees and obtain sensitive information.
This incident shows that AI-driven crimes are no longer just theoretical threats but are causing real damage.
These cases demonstrate that traditional methods of identity verification are no longer sufficient to provide security.
To address this, World Network has introduced World ID Deep Face. This feature confirms the presence of real humans in video conferences and streaming media to counter the risk of deepfakes.
Operation of World ID Deep Face
Image /
World Network
World ID Deep Face can be accessed through the World application and desktop, and can serve as an SDK extension. This technology seamlessly integrates into platforms like Google Meet, Zoom, Twitch, and YouTube, enhancing security and preventing identity fraud.
Additionally, it can be used in recruiting platforms and other services requiring identity verification. World ID Deep Face is expected to be a significant tool in combating AI-driven identity fraud.
6. Challenges Faced by World ID and Their Solutions
World ID, with its outstanding security and usability, has the potential to become a core identity verification tool in the AI era. However, there are still challenges to overcome.
Key issues include: 1) Public resistance to the use of biometric information, 2) Risks of World ID abuse, and 3) Physical accessibility of Orb devices.
6.1. Public Resistance to the Use of Biometric Information
While World Network’s human verification methods are highly authentic, there is still public resistance to the use of biometric information. The public’s main concern is privacy leakage. To gain trust, World Network must take strong security measures.
World Network addresses this issue by adopting Anonymous Multi-Party Computation (AMPC) technology. This method segments iris codes into multiple parts, stores them in a distributed and de-identified manner, and manages them as numerical data rather than images.
Furthermore, after verification is complete, only World ID is used for identity verification, without involving the iris code itself. These security measures aim to alleviate public concerns about the use of biometric data.
Image /
Apple Optic ID (Left), Samsung Face Recognition (Right)
The application of biometric technology in various industries plays an essential role in enhancing social acceptance.
As biometric technologies like Apple’s Optic ID and Samsung’s face recognition gradually integrate into daily life, people may become more accustomed and accepting.
This gradual exposure helps increase public awareness, accelerating the adoption of World ID.
6.2. Potential Abuse of World ID
Another challenge World ID faces is the risk of abuse through account sales.
In traditional industries, account sales activities conducted through ID transactions are common, and World ID’s use of sensitive biometric data, such as iris scans, may face similar transaction risks. Such account transactions may affect the system’s reliability.
To address this, World Network has implemented various security measures. For example, World ID authentication uses facial image data stored on the user’s smartphone.
Additionally, if users unknowingly sell their accounts, they can still recover them through the World ID reset function. These protective measures aim to prevent account sales, loss, or theft, providing security for users while enhancing system flexibility and reducing abuse.
Image /
Vitalik Buterin
Expanding the World ID ecosystem naturally reduces abuse. Sold accounts typically lack natural user activity and exhibit different behavior patterns.
By first conducting hardware-based biometric authentication and gradually incorporating social graph authentication, it is possible to better verify the authenticity of users.
With increased user activity, monitoring and identifying the behavior patterns of sold accounts becomes easier. Vitalik Buterin also suggests that combining biometric and social graph authentication can help establish long-term trust.
6.3. Accessibility Issues of Orb
While World ID’s iris authentication provides high security, the need for face-to-face verification through Orb devices poses a significant barrier.
This is not just a distance issue but also involves the challenge of mass-producing and distributing high-cost Orb devices on a global scale.
Orb 2.0 Features
Image /
World Network
To address this issue, World Network is opening the design of Orb to support global production.
Additionally, they are collaborating with Korea’s Chain Partners to jointly develop hardware through the second Orb project. The newly launched Orb 2.0 has a faster production speed, accelerates the verification process, and reduces the use of 30% of parts, significantly improving production efficiency.
Providing Orbs on Demand
Image /
World Network
We plan to place Orb devices in daily places like coffee shops to enhance user accessibility.
In South America, we will introduce an “On-Demand Orb” service in collaboration with Rappi, allowing users to perform World ID verification at home.
While this expanded accessibility brings new challenges, such as ATM-like management and security issues, World Network’s efforts are a significant step towards establishing a global human identity verification infrastructure.
7. Conclusion
With the rapid development of AI technology, distinguishing between humans and AI is becoming increasingly difficult. Therefore, the need to prove human identity is more urgent than ever before.
However, this is not a simple task. The challenge lies in verifying the human identities of approximately 8.1 billion people globally, a process that is both complex and vast.
Image /
Times of India
In many cases, biometric technology is considered the most effective option.
The Aadhaar system in India is a typical example. The Indian government successfully registered approximately 95% of the adult population by using iris and fingerprint recognition.
This system greatly simplifies access to services like financial activities. In a country with a population of over 1.4 billion, successfully implementing such a large-scale biometric system demonstrates the enormous potential of biometric-based identity verification and the feasibility of global systems like World Network.
World Network is built on this approach. It combines zero-knowledge proofs and blockchain technology to enhance security and privacy protection.
Currently, several real-world applications are in progress. For example, the Malaysian government’s digital certificate project adopts World Network’s iris scanning technology. Additionally, WorldChain aims to enhance the scalability of global applications by creating a permissionless system.
These technological advancements indicate that World Network has the potential to evolve from simple human identity verification into a global identity infrastructure.
However, challenges remain. Low social acceptance, risks of abuse, and regulatory issues are primary obstacles. How World Network addresses these challenges will be crucial to its comprehensive development.