Sam Altman-backed Tools for Humanity launches eye-scanning orbs across the UK

Tools for Humanity, the startup co-founded by OpenAI’s Sam Altman, is bringing its biometric identity verification devices to the United Kingdom as part of a wider international rollout. The company’s futuristic Orb devices, which scan users’ irises to verify their identity, will debut in London this week, with further expansions to Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff, Belfast, and Glasgow in the coming months.

The launch marks a significant step in the company’s mission to establish a global digital identity system called World ID, designed to confirm whether a person is human in an age of increasingly sophisticated AI bots and deepfakes.

“AI systems are getting better at mimicking people, and that creates serious security challenges,” said Alex Blania, co-founder and CEO of Tools for Humanity. “Our technology gives people a way to prove they’re real without handing over personal data.”

The Orb scan captures the unique patterns in a user’s iris and generates a World ID, a digital credential stored on the person’s mobile device. For those who opt in, Tools for Humanity also offers a cryptocurrency incentive in the form of Worldcoin tokens.

In the UK, the company will initially install its spherical Orb scanners in dedicated locations such as high streets and shopping malls. According to Damien Kieran, chief legal and privacy officer at Tools for Humanity, the long-term plan includes partnering with major retailers to deploy self-serve Orbs, functioning much like ATMs.

The rollout comes at a time when the startup is under increased regulatory scrutiny in several countries over privacy concerns. Regulators in Germany and Argentina have launched investigations into the technology, while Spain and Hong Kong have issued bans. Tools for Humanity maintains that it does not store personal or biometric data, and that all identity verification remains securely on the user’s device.

Ahead of its UK debut, the company said it has been in dialogue with the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and privacy groups to ensure compliance and build trust.

So far, the technology has been adopted by more than 13 million users globally, including in Mexico, Japan, Korea, Portugal, Germany, and Thailand. In April, Tools for Humanity also announced its entry into six US cities, signalling growing ambition for its human identity layer in a digital-first world.

In addition to its flagship Orb, the company recently unveiled the Orb Mini, a compact, smartphone-sized version of the device aimed at improving accessibility and mobility. According to Kieran, there are currently 1,500 Orbs in circulation, with plans to ship an additional 12,000 units over the next year.