Sam Altman’s ‘Proof of Human’ Network Expands to Six U.S. Cities—Because Apparently Bots Need More Roadblocks

World, Sam Altman’s identity verification project, just rolled out its ’proof of human’ services in six major U.S. cities. Because nothing says ’innovation’ like making humans jump through digital hoops to prove they’re not algorithms.

The expansion targets fraud prevention—but let’s be real, it’s also a goldmine for data harvesting. Because if there’s one thing Silicon Valley loves more than disruption, it’s monetizing your biometrics.

Active verbs only? Check. Cynical finance jab? Here it is: ’Another day, another venture-backed solution to a problem that mostly exists because tech bros won’t stop building unchecked AI.’

World launches across six U.S. cities to expand its ‘proof of human’ services

World is live in the USA. Verify your World ID in six key cities now. pic.twitter.com/cju65pn7L7

— World (@worldcoin) May 1, 2025

Altman’s eye-scanning venture officially made its U.S. debut on Thursday, May 1st, as the company opened six flagship U.S. retail locations, including Austin, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Nashville, Miami, and San Francisco–where people could sign up to have their eyeballs scanned. More than 7K of World’s orbs will be available for iris scans at these locations.

Adrian Ludwig, chief architect of Tools for Humanity, said the company met with U.S. regulators—without mentioning specific names—ahead of its planned expansion. Tools for Humanity also said the information it collected was encrypted and that it did store personal data.                                

Ludwig, also the Chief Information Security Officer at Tools for Humanity, previously revealed that the project stored individuals’ data separately SAFE among multiple parties, adding that a malicious actor would have to compromise all of them simultaneously to gain access or manipulate all the personal data.

The World team also claimed that the need for genuine connection had never been greater than it is today, adding that meeting new people should feel exciting and secure, with tools that make it easier to trust and connect authentically.

World plans to introduce a Visa card and a Tinder pilot program 

World also announced plans to launch a Visa card, allowing users to make payments using their WLD tokens or other digital currency. The new ‘World Visa Card’ will be available in the U.S. later this year.

According to the World team, the new card will connect directly to a user’s World App wallet, enabling them to spend their digital assets anywhere Visa is accepted. Merchants will also be able to seamlessly receive fiat currency without needing to understand crypto, while people will gain flexibility in how they spend their digital assets.

The team also said the project had partnered with Match Group, the parent company behind several popular dating apps. However, Ludwig pointed out that it will be up to Match to integrate the ‘proof-of-humanity’ credential across more dating brands like Tinder, Hinge, Match.com, and Plenty of Fish. 

“For consumers, they don’t want to think about this technology,” Ludwig said. “What they want to think about is: ‘I want to be dating real people.”

–Adrian Ludwig, Chief Architect and Information Security Officer at Tools for Humanity

Ludwig also envisioned a future where a person’s background check results could be linked to their Orb-verified identity but added that would require deeper partnerships with various identity services.

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