Source: Cointelegraph
Original: “Sam Altman's World Project Raises $135 Million from Andreessen and Bain to Expand Network”
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's digital identity project World announced that it has raised $135 million from venture capital firms Andreessen Horowitz and Bain Capital Crypto.
According to the announcement, the funds will be used to expand World’s network of iris scanning spheres and infrastructure in the United States, with the company previously stating it would operate in six cities across the U.S. while increasing its global reach.
The company stated that over 12.5 million people have obtained World ID in more than 160 jurisdictions.
The project establishes "personhood proof" by collecting individuals' biometric data, but faces regulatory resistance and bans in several countries. Critics argue that collecting biometric data through economic incentives violates the principle of informed consent, sparking debates about centralized digital identity systems and data privacy ethics.
Brazil's National Data Protection Authority (ANPD) ordered World to cease operations in the country in January, citing concerns that incentivizing biometric data collection through cryptocurrency payments violates the principle of informed consent.
In March, ANPD upheld its ban on World, noting issues with the company's business model of offering cryptocurrency payments in exchange for biometric data.
If World continues to operate in Brazil, it will face fines of 50,000 Brazilian Reais (approximately $8,851) per day.
Indonesia's Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (Komdigi), a data and communication regulatory body, suspended World’s business license on May 4, accusing some of the company's subsidiaries of failing to register as digital asset service providers under the Electronic System Operators Certificate Registration (TDPSE) framework.
Komdigi has launched an investigation into the project and will meet with representatives of the subsidiaries after the suspension to clarify the matter.
The bans in these two countries followed an order issued by the Bavarian State Office for Data Protection Supervision (BayLDA) in Germany in December 2024, which required World to comply with EU data protection standards, allowing individuals to easily remove their biometric data from the network.
Related: AI tools claim to be up to 97% effective in preventing "address poisoning" attacks.
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