San Francisco’s latest tech obsession has arrived, and it’s as bizarre as you’d expect. World, the startup backed by AI overlord Sam Altman, is now inviting Bay Area residents to have their eyeballs scanned in the name of “proving humanity” in our AI-dominated world.

The Orb: Silicon Valley’s Newest Surveillance Toy

Right across from Union Square, a sleek storefront is housing multiple orbs where techies can get their eyeballs digitally immortalized. The pitch? Verifying you’re a real human in an era of deepfakes and AI trickery. The reality? Another data collection scheme that feels like a Black Mirror episode come to life.

Privacy? What Privacy?

Despite global regulatory pushback - including bans in Kenya, Portugal, and Spain - World seems determined to collect biometric data. Their San Francisco launch was more performance art than functional service, with more PR staff than actual customers and tech bros sipping cortados while posing with futuristic scanning devices.

The Human Skepticism

Even potential users seem wary. One passerby bluntly stated he wouldn’t upload his biometric information “just to get a QR code,” perfectly capturing the collective side-eye this technology is receiving. World’s executives claim it’s about protecting human identity, but it feels more like another Silicon Valley power play.

In true Bay Area fashion, they’ve turned invasive surveillance into a trendy, Instagram-worthy experience. Welcome to 2025, where proving you’re human requires letting a tech company scan your literal eyeball.