OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's startup, Tools for Humanity, has launched a new device called the Orb in the U.S., aimed at verifying human identity amidst the rise of artificial intelligence and bots. The device, which scans a person's iris, is part of the World ID initiative, which seeks to create a digital ID for users to prove their personhood. The rollout includes partnerships with Visa and involves the use of crypto tokens, expanding its application to dating apps and Discord. The rollout of the Orb is taking place in six U.S. cities: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami, Atlanta, Austin, and Nashville. Tools for Humanity emphasizes that the Orb does not store biometric data, instead, the verification process results in a digital ID stored on the user's smartphone. In parallel, Meta Platforms has launched a standalone AI app to directly compete with OpenAI's ChatGPT. The new app, powered by Meta's Llama AI model, aims to provide a more personalized AI experience by leveraging user data from platforms like Facebook and Instagram. It includes a Discover feed for sharing AI-generated content, though this raises user data privacy concerns. The competitive landscape in AI is intensifying, with Meta's app challenging OpenAI's dominance in the consumer AI market. This move by Meta could pressure OpenAI to enhance its offerings or risk losing market share.