San Francisco shop that verifies you're human opens in Union Square

OpenAI technology in SFs Union Square verifies youre human

OpenAIs Sam Altman has launched brand new, cutting-edge technology in San Franciscos Union Square. Its an eye-catching, eye-scanning orb from Altmans digital currency company, World, meant to verify peoples human-ness. KTVUs Christien Kafton on how this technology could impact your everyday life.

SAN FRANCISCO - Sam Altman's digital currency company World network has opened up shop in San Francisco's Union Square.

Digital world

In an increasingly digital world, there is now a brick and mortar storefront in San Francisco's Union Square where humans can prove they're human. While the finances of the digital currency from the Altman's World network may take place in the virtual world, it now has a real-world location to help users verify they are human and their identities.

"In this new era we, as human beings, will need to know what is real and what is not," said Trevor Traina from Tools for Humanity. "That we may have to actually prove our humanness."

World Network said the Orbs can scan the faces of users, checking for minute details to confirm that they are in fact a person. The Orbs then encrypt that data and send it to the user so it can be used like a virtual passport.

"It's something that they hold anonymously, and privately on their mobile phone, that they can use to prove that they are not a bot or an algorithm, but a human," said Traina.

Are you human?

Tech columnist from USA Today, Jennifer Jolly, has covered the launch, and said in the era of artificial intelligence, being able to tell the difference between who is a human and what is a sophisticated algorithm is getting harder and harder.

By the numbers:

"Researchers have estimated that within a year from today, 90% of what you see online will be AI-generated," said Jolly. "So, you're going to see more fakes, content that's created by bots and cyber crooks and thieves."

The technology has already been adopted by online partners in the gaming, dating and finance worlds; all places where users would want to verify that they are dealing with a real person, not a bot.

"Already on dating apps, 50% of the people you're dealing with are AI bots," said Jolly. "Social media apps, filled with scammers bots and thieves."

The World Network has already launched overseas with an estimated 26 million users, with 12 million Orb verified. The Union Square store is one of six locations that was launched in the U.S.

Featured