In this episode of the Untangling Web3 podcast, we dive headfirst into the controversial, ambitious, and wildly futuristic project known as Worldcoin.

Created by Tools for Humanity and co-founded by OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Worldcoin combines digital identity, blockchain, and biometric scanning via the infamous “Orb” to tackle one of the most urgent problems of our AI age: proving you’re human in a world overrun by bots, agents, and deepfakes.

But is this visionary solution as revolutionary as it sounds—or just dystopian science fiction?

Key highlights:

• Worldcoin’s Vision for Digital Identity in a Post-AI World: With AI-generated content dominating the web, Worldcoin sets out to answer a crucial question—how do we prove someone online is a real human? At its core, the project offers a blockchain-based digital identity called World ID, anchored in biometric iris scans captured via the sci-fi-looking Orb. This proof-of-personhood system aims to separate bots from people while ensuring privacy through zero-knowledge proofs and decentralized protocols.
• The Role of the Orb and the Tokenomics Behind It: The Orb is the hardware gateway into Worldcoin's ecosystem. It scans users' irises to confirm uniqueness, creating a one-to-one digital credential tied to a real person. Once verified, users receive a World ID and are rewarded in the project’s native token, WORLD. This token not only incentivizes adoption but is positioned as a future vehicle for distributing universal basic income (UBI) in a world where AI displaces jobs. The podcast also covers the cryptographic privacy mechanisms involved, and the ethical dilemmas of onboarding users in developing countries through financial incentives.
• Criticism, Controversies, and the Future of Identity Systems: Worldcoin’s bold approach hasn’t come without backlash. The episode unpacks controversies including accusations of “bio-data colonialism,” the lack of hardware audit transparency, and compliance concerns with GDPR and consent revocation. Alec and Jack also explore alternative decentralized identity models from the Web3 space, such as Proof of Humanity and Gitcoin Passport, questioning whether Worldcoin’s centralized rollout aligns with Web3 ideals or undermines them.

Worldcoin presents a radical approach to solving the digital identity problem in the age of AI. With its Orb, crypto incentives, and biometric-backed Web3 identity, it’s undeniably innovative—but also deeply polarizing.

As the line between humans and AI blurs, projects like Worldcoin may shape the future of how we verify identity, distribute value, and govern online interactions. Whether it becomes the "login with Google" of Web3 or fades under regulatory pressure, it's a project worth watching.

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This episode is sponsored by the VeChain foundation. Learn more about VeBetterDAO here:

https://vebetterdao.org/

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Learn more about Web3 at:

https://untanglingweb3.com/

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Untangling Web3 is brought to you by hosts Jack Davies and Alec Burns, with music by Daniel Paigge. Got a question or topic suggestion? Send us an email at [email protected].

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The views we express here are our own, and do not represent the views of our employers. Nothing discussed or stated in the show should be considered advice.