Worldcoin founder Sam Altman's own handwriting: Why launched Worldcoin

On July 24, 2023, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced on Twitter that the Worldcoin project was officially launched.

Introduction to Worldcoin

We founded Worldcoin more than three years ago with the ambition to create a new identity and financial network shared by all. Today, we begin the official launch of Worldcoin. If successful, we believe Worldcoin can dramatically increase economic opportunity, create a reliable solution to distinguish humans from AI online while preserving privacy, enable global democratic processes, and ultimately demonstrate a potential path to an AI-funded global basic income (UBI).

Worldcoin includes a privacy-preserving digital identity (World ID) and, where permitted by law, a digital currency (WLD) that is easily accessible to humans. We hope that in areas where the rules are less clear, such as the United States, steps will be taken to allow more people to benefit from both.

Now, you can download the World App, the first protocol-compliant wallet, and reserve your share. After accessing an Orb (biometric authentication device), you will receive a World ID. This allows you to prove yourself as an authentic and unique person online while maintaining complete privacy. As Orb distribution accelerates around the world, you can find the nearest one and book a time at worldcoin.org to verify it through the World App.

Worldcoin is an attempt at coordination on a global scale, a journey that will be challenging with uncertain outcomes. But finding new ways to broadly share the coming technological boom is the grand challenge of our time. We hope you will join us.

Alex Blania and Sam Altman