Worldcoin, the crypto project co-founded by Sam Altman of OpenAI, has released its first major consumer product: World App. This minimalist crypto wallet is designed to help users prove their personhood in the age of AI. With advances in AI, it is becoming increasingly difficult to differentiate between humans and bots online. Worldcoin believes that blockchains can help address this issue.

World App is built on the Ethereum sidechain Polygon and is available for anyone, anywhere to download. The app is one part crypto wallet and one part passport for the AI era. It is Worldcoin’s biggest push yet to establish itself as a consumer-friendly brand.

Reintroducing Worldcoin

Worldcoin’s initial launch was controversial, with its retina-scanning metal “orb” drawing criticism for being dystopian. A damning exposé from the MIT Technology Review also raised concerns about deceptive recruiting practices by the company behind Worldcoin, Tools for Humanity. However, the company has weathered the negative press and has emerged with a new focus on “proof of personhood.”

The World ID protocol, announced in March, allows app developers to use Worldcoin’s network of biometrically-authenticated humans. For those without a World ID, World App functions as a stripped-down crypto wallet that is user-friendly and accessible. The app has a minimalist design, a limited set of features, and supports only a few crypto tokens.

World App and World ID

World App is built on Polygon, which offers cheaper fees to users while still allowing access to Ethereum-based assets. World App currently supports wrapped versions of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and stablecoins like DAI. According to Tiago Sada, the head of product at Tools for Humanity, the app is designed to be as friendly as custodial services that store crypto on a customer’s behalf, but with all the guarantees of privacy and self-custody of crypto.

World ID holders can use World App as a digital passport, granting them access to apps and services that are gated to World ID holders. Although there aren’t many applications that currently use World ID, Sada envisions a future where World ID is integrated into the fabric of blockchain and the broader web. He believes that World ID will be useful in financial services, voting, and social media account authentication.

Beta Testing and Early Adoption

A beta version of World App has been available to World ID holders for several months. According to Tools for Humanity, more than 1.5 million people have joined the beta, with over 500,000 using it every month. The app sees around 60,000 transactions and 25,000 World ID checks from over 100,000 people worldwide on a typical day. Tools for Humanity claims that World App is already one of the most popular ways to access crypto today.

Conclusion

World App is Worldcoin’s biggest launch to date and is designed to help users prove their personhood in the age of AI. The app is user-friendly, accessible, and offers a gateway for World ID holders to claim their allotment of Worldcoins. Although the perks of having a World ID remain mostly theoretical, Tools for Humanity is offering early adopters the benefit of fee-free transactions on World App. With its focus on “proof of personhood,” Worldcoin hopes to establish itself as a consumer-friendly brand and redefine itself in the eyes of consumers.