The creator of the hugely popular AI bot ChatGPT has launched a controversial project that offers users a free share of cryptocurrency in exchange for their biometric data. Nearly four years after founding Worldcoin, OpenAI boss Sam Altman announced on Monday that the crypto wallet and app is now available in countries where it is not banned for regulatory or legal reasons. More than 1.5 million people signed up to the venture prior to its official launch, each receiving a share of Worldcoin tokens in exchange for scanning their iris using a silver orb developed by the startup. The biometric data was used to verify each individual’s “unique personhood” and ensure that no one signed up more than once. Each person will now be able to use the Worldcoin token, which is currently valued at $2.59 (£2), according to CoinMarketCap, having begun trading on Monday just below $2. Worldcoin (WLD) is similar to other cryptocurrencies like bitcoin, in that it uses blockchain technology to enable digital transactions. According to its website, people can use it for “remittances, [to] tip artists, [and] buy and sell goods and services”. The main differentiator is the way that users sign up, with privacy advocates warning that it could lead to a black market of people’s iris scans. Worldcoin has defended its technology by claiming that its orb is only used to check that a person is unique and has not signed up before. The startup’s website states: “We don’t want to know who you are, just that you are unique”. Worldcoin co-founder Alex Blania wrote in a note published on Monday that he believed Worldcoin “could drastically increase economic opportunity, scale a reliable solution for distinguishing humans from AI online while preserving privacy, enable democratic processes, and eventually show a potential path to AI-funded universal basic income.” He added: “Worldcoin is an attempt at global scale alignment, the journey will be challenging and outcome is uncertain. But finding new ways to broadly share the coming technological prosperity is a critical challenge of our time.” Worldcoin does not list the countries in which it operates – The Independent has reached out for further information – though it is not yet available in Mr Altman’s native US. The startup founder was only able to sign up himself on a trip to Europe earlier this year. “Like any really ambitious project, maybe it works out and maybe it doesn’t, but trying stuff like this is how progress happens,” Mr Altman tweeted following Worldcoin’s launch. “In either case, we especially love our haters, it gives us energy, please keep it coming.” Read More What is superintelligence? How AI could wipe out humanity – and why the boss of ChatGPT is doomsday prepping How bad is bitcoin for the environment really? Crypto experts discuss bitcoin price predictions What is Solana? The crypto rising 200-times faster than bitcoin

REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 25, 2023--

LONDON & NEW YORK & HONG KONG--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun 21, 2023--

Adobe's Lightroom is unquestionably the leading professional photo-workflow software. But which Lightroom should you use?

In Maybe This Is Potentially Good News, it looks like Instagram is going to help

Kim Kardashian and Rylan Clark are among some of the celebrities to have signed up for the new social media site Threads. The Meta app, from the company behind Facebook and Instagram, has a text-style format which encourages users to post updates and join public discourse. Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader Dalai Lama also signed up to the newly launched platform. Former Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two presenter Clark kept his first update short with a photo captioned: “Get ya threads out for the ladddsss.” Chef Gordon Ramsay, known for his Hell’s Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares series, said in his post: “Is this where I find the lamb sauce?” Colombian pop singer Shakira already has one million followers on the app, whilst reality TV star and businesswoman Kardashian has one and a half million, despite a lack of posts on her profile. TV personality and model Khloe Kardashian, who is Kim’s sister, is also on the platform and posted a photo with the caption: “Oh hi my little threaders”. Other celebrities such as Paris Hilton, former One Direction members Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik, The Last Of Us star Bella Ramsey, Dragons’ Den panellists Deborah Meaden and Steven Bartlett and former Big Brother presenter Davina McCall have also signed up. Also setting up account were American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo, radio DJ Chris Moyles, Little Mix singer Leigh-Anne Pinnock, British singer Louise Redknapp, American rapper Jack Harlow and The Help actress Jessica Chastain. The site is connected to Instagram so usernames and verification checks can carry over so celebrities can make the move to Threads easily. Brands and companies including streaming platform Netflix, clothing retailer Pretty Little Thing and supermarket Aldi have also joined the app. Threads posts can be up to 500 characters long and include links, photos, and videos of up to five minutes in length. On Meta’s website, the company says: “Our vision with Threads is to take what Instagram does best and expand that to text, creating a positive and creative space to express your ideas.” Elon Musk bought Twitter in 2022, which is also text based and allows posts of up to 280 characters. The South African-born billionaire announced at the weekend that his social media platform would be temporarily limiting the number of tweets people can read in a day, as thousands of users reported problems accessing the site. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Mastercard helping banks predict scams before money leaves customers’ accounts Art historian helps build new Assassin’s Creed game after son’s suggestion Twitter to stop TweetDeck access for unverified users

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 7, 2023--

By Jeff Mason and Brad Brooks U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris criticized Florida "extremists" on Friday for backing

The deadline to claim a portion of the payout is Friday, Aug. 25, for U.S. Facebook users who were on the social media platform between May 24, 2007, and December 22, 2022.

By Julia Harte and Nate Raymond (Reuters) -The U.S. Education Department's Office for Civil Rights is investigating whether Harvard racially

It was a Thursday night and I had a date. Or, so I thought. Instead,

European Union lawmakers allayed market concerns over a possible revenue cap on renewable power producers, an emergency measure