Union Square in San Francisco, an area that has felt the sting of retail departures and growing vacancy rates, is now the site of new business optimism. A World Network company co-founded by Sam Altman has recently opened a retail store in this iconic shopping district, as first reported by ABC7 News. Offering a decidedly unconventional service, this store provides users with a World ID, verifying that they are human and not some sophisticated bot or algorithm. The technology, housed in orbs that scan one’s face, has been described by USA Today tech columnist Jennifer Jolly as confirming “in a matter of seconds whether you’re a living, breathing human being.”
Close to the newly minted World location, Union Square will also welcome a Nintendo store, set to open its doors on May 15. This follows a series of closures that have raised San Francisco’s vacancy rate to 35.8%, according to real estate data cited by ABC7 News. Amid the echoes of a once-bustling district, the arrival of World Network’s store, alongside the iconic gaming giant Nintendo, suggests a turning tide for this downtown area.
According to KTVU, the World Network’s technology scans a user’s face for minute details, encrypts the data, and sends a virtual passport to the user’s mobile device. This comes against a background where, as Jolly said, “Researchers have estimated that within a year from today, 90% of what you see online will be AI-generated.” The need for human verification is becoming more pressing in various sectors such as gaming, dating, and finance, where authenticity is critical.
Trevor Traina from Tools for Humanity, talking about the importance of authentication, told KTVU that “in this new era we, as human beings, will need to know what is real and what is not.” Clearly understanding the landscape, the World Network has attracted an estimated 26 million users worldwide, signaling a robust acceptance of their technology. With major stores closing, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie has expressed confidence that additions like Zara and the World Network store represent positive strides for Union Square’s revival.
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