In a bold move to counter the rising tide of AI-generated impersonations, major platforms Tinder and Zoom are integrating advanced eye-scanning technology to verify users as human beings. The initiative, unveiled at a live event in San Francisco, will allow individuals to earn a "proof of humanity" badge by scanning their irises.
This verification system is powered by World, a startup formerly known as Worldcoin, which is part of Tools for Humanity—a company co-founded and chaired by Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI. Users can submit to an iris scan via an online app or a specialized orb-shaped device. Once confirmed as human, they receive a unique World ID stored on their smartphone.
"I'm not afraid for the future as long as we can tell between the two," Altman told the audience, referencing his prediction that AI-generated content online will soon surpass human-created material.
The partnerships address distinct but growing problems on each platform. Tinder has long battled fake profiles, or "bots," often used in romance scams that cost U.S. victims over $1 billion last year, according to the Federal Trade Commission. These AI-enhanced accounts use fabricated photos and algorithmically-generated scripts to manipulate users.
Yoel Roth, head of trust and safety at Match Group (Tinder's parent company), stated, "Partnering with World ID is a natural next step to help our users know the person on the other end is real." The iris verification will be an optional addition to Tinder's existing video selfie requirement.
For Zoom, the concern centers on sophisticated deepfakes used in corporate settings. A high-profile 2024 incident in Hong Kong saw an employee tricked by AI-generated videos of colleagues into transferring $25 million. Deloitte research warns such financial fraud could reach $40 billion annually in the U.S. by 2027. The World ID integration offers professionals a way to authenticate their identity during video calls.
World emphasizes that its iris-scanning technique is anonymous, requiring no personal details like names or addresses, and leverages the iris's uniqueness—more distinctive than a fingerprint. The company reports 18 million people have already been verified through World ID, with the technology used 450 million times to date.
This marks the third rebranding for the authentication firm, which launched as Worldcoin in 2022 before becoming World Network and now simply World. As AI capabilities advance, these eye-scan partnerships represent a significant step in the ongoing struggle to maintain human authenticity in digital spaces.