Altman-Backed Startup Rolls Out Eyeball-Scanning Tech Across US

To date, more than 12 million people have used the tool to verify their identities in countries including the Philippines, Portugal and Thailand, according to the company. — To date, more than 12 million people have used the tool to verify their identities in countries including the Philippines, Portugal and Thailand, according to the company.
Photographer: Gabby Jones/Bloomberg

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By Shirin Ghaffary and Natalie Lung

May 1, 2025 at 2:10 AM UTC

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Tools for Humanity, a startup co-founded by OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman, plans to roll out thousands of eyeball-scanning Orb devices across the US, marking a major expansion for the company and its novel identification services.

Starting this week, people in six US cities, including San Francisco, Los Angeles and Atlanta, will be able to scan their eyes using a spherical orb device at select locations operated by Tools for Humanity’s World project as well as certain partners, the company said at an event late Wednesday. Previously, the technology was only available in the US in a limited testing capacity.