OpenAI Explores Worldcoin Biometric Verification for New Social Network

OpenAI, the company behind the artificial intelligence platform ChatGPT, is reportedly developing a new social network designed to prioritize authentic human users through advanced biometric verification methods. According to a recent Forbes report, the platform could integrate tools such as Apple Face ID or the iris-scanning Orb developed by Worldcoin to confirm that every account belongs to a real person rather than an automated bot. This approach comes as social media platforms continue to grapple with widespread issues of fake engagement and artificial accounts.

The initiative remains in its preliminary phases, led by a small internal team of fewer than ten individuals. Insiders have characterized the project as a "real humans only" network, explicitly positioning it as a counter to the bot-heavy environments found on sites like X, where even Elon Musk has been unable to tackle the bot problem. OpenAI's effort reflects a broader push toward greater authenticity in digital interactions amid rising concerns over misinformation and manipulated online discourse.

Worldcoin Token Surges on Integration Speculation

News of the potential collaboration has driven significant attention to Worldcoin, the cryptocurrency project closely tied to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The project's native WLD token jumped more than 25% in a single day, climbing to approximately $0.64 as traders reacted to the report. Trading volume exploded by over 1027 percent, reaching $815 million, which highlighted robust buyer enthusiasm in response to the developments.

Worldcoin operates under Tools for Humanity, a company that Altman founded and currently chairs, with its signature Orb device creating unique digital identifiers based on iris scans. This proof-of-personhood system could serve as a core component of OpenAI's proposed verification process, offering a more definitive way to establish human identity online. While the token's price has since settled back down to $0.47, it still reflects a slight gain from $0.45 just two days earlier, demonstrating market interest.

A truly biometric-based system would mark a departure from the verification methods employed by established platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn, which typically rely on phone numbers, emails, or behavioral patterns. Those approaches have proven vulnerable to circumvention, allowing bots and duplicate accounts to persist despite enforcement efforts. OpenAI's potential adoption of iris scanning could establish a higher barrier, ensuring each user represents a single, verifiable individual.

Privacy advocates have long cautioned that biometric data, particularly iris scans, carries unique risks because it cannot be changed like a password. Any breach involving such permanent identifiers could have lasting consequences for affected users. OpenAI has not publicly detailed its data handling practices for this project, leaving questions about security measures unanswered at this stage.