From Controversy To Necessity? Revisiting World ID & Worldcoin In Kenya From An AI Perspective.
Earlier this week, CNN published a feature on World ID, the digital identity initiative developed by Tools for Humanity — the same organization behind the now-infamous Orb, a biometric device used to verify individuals as human in an increasingly AI-driven world.
The core premise of World ID is becoming more relevant by the day: as Generative AI continues to evolve at breakneck speed, it’s now capable of producing realistic deepfakes, voice clones, and synthetic personas that blur the line between authentic and artificial. In this environment, proof of personhood — being able to verify that a real human is on the other end of a digital interaction — may soon become essential.
World ID aims to be that verification layer. A biometric identity system built on zero-knowledge proofs and privacy-preserving design, it’s being framed as a global solution to a global problem. But if you’ve been following this space from a Kenyan perspective, you’ll know this is far from a straightforward story.
Kenya: The Early Adopter — And Skeptic
Kenya was one of the very first countries where Worldcoin launched its Orb-based identity capture system at scale in mid-2023. The concept was bold: scan your iris using a chrome-like Orb to verify your humanity, and in return, receive a token — Worldcoin (WLD) — as part of the onboarding process.
The uptake, especially among the youth, was explosive. But it didn’t take long before serious concerns were raised around privacy, informed consent, and the legal handling of biometric data. What made matters worse was that many of those who signed up were motivated by the financial incentive of receiving WLD, without fully understanding the implications of handing over such sensitive biometric information.
I wrote extensively about this in an early post, “Unraveling Worldcoin (WLD) and World ID: A Kenyan Perspective”, outlining the broader context of Kenya’s digital ecosystem and the red flags raised by regulators, privacy advocates, and civil society.
A Podcast Perspective: Direct From The Source
In August 2023, I also had the opportunity to speak with Alex Blania, the CEO of Tools for Humanity, in an exclusive podcast episode that gave a rare insider look into their Worldcoin journey — particularly the turbulent rollout in Kenya.
In our conversation, Blania acknowledged the missteps that led to the backlash and suspension by the Kenyan government. He also emphasized the company’s long-term mission to create a globally inclusive identity layer that respects privacy while addressing a growing challenge in the digital world: bots and impersonation at scale.
Data, Sovereignty & Digital Identity
The situation reached its peak when the Kenyan government officially suspended Worldcoin’s operations, pending investigation into the legal and ethical implications of their approach. The discourse extended far beyond technology, touching on digital sovereignty, data localization, and the role of foreign tech firms in shaping Kenya’s future without sufficient regulatory oversight.
As I argued in that second blog post, “Worldcoin Kenya: Navigating Digital Identity and National Interests”, Kenya was right to pause and reflect. We’re not just talking about ‘cool technology’ — we’re talking about identity, agency, and trust in a data-driven economy.
Two Years Later: Has The Narrative Shifted?
Now, nearly two years after Kenya pressed pause, World ID is being used by over 25 million individuals worldwide. Tools for Humanity has updated its protocols, adjusted its messaging, and refined the Orb experience. At the same time, the threats posed by AI — from election interference to financial fraud to synthetic social media manipulation — have only grown more serious.
CNN’s article, while informative, makes no mention of Kenya or the intense global scrutiny Worldcoin faced in 2023. It now presents World ID as a timely solution in a world where distinguishing human from machine is becoming increasingly difficult.
From a Kenyan lens, this raises critical questions:
Were our concerns in 2023 premature — or were they a necessary intervention?
Have AI developments shifted the global context enough to warrant a fresh evaluation of digital ID technologies?
Can systems like World ID be adapted to align with Kenya’s evolving digital laws, data protection standards, and national interests?
Closing Thoughts: Not Just If, But How
While the Orb remains controversial, and biometric data continues to be a hot-button issue globally, the problem that World ID is attempting to solve is undeniably real. Kenya — and other digitally forward markets — will eventually need to grapple with how to verify personhood online in a way that is secure, ethical, and equitable.
The bigger question may no longer be if we will need these kinds of technologies — but on whose terms they will be developed and deployed.