The founder of the prominent artificial intelligence company OpenAI launched his own cryptocurrency Monday as part of a new project he helped fund that would give people around the world crypto tokens in exchange for their biometric data. The Sam Altman-backed startup Worldcoin launched its cryptocurrency on Monday. The startup gained early traction by signing up users worldwide to receive tokens in exchange for scans of their irises via a device known as an “orb.” The scans are designed to help users distinguish between humans and bots and, in time, provide a universal basic income to help minimize job losses caused by the growth of artificial intelligence. The iris scans are used to create a “digital passport,” which helps confirm if a user is an actual person. While the idea has drawn criticism over possible security breaches, Worldcoin co-founder Alex Blania told Reuters that Worldcoin’s blockchain-based approach to data storage will be secure enough to preserve users’ privacy.

Full story : OpenAI founder launches cryptocurrency offering tokens in exchange for eye scans.