OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s innovative digital identity project, World, has made significant strides with the launch of “Priority Blockspace for Humans” (PBH) on its World Chain mainnet. This new infrastructure marks a departure from traditional gas fee bidding mechanisms, prioritizing transactions from verified human users.
PBH automatically kicks in during network congestion, setting aside a portion of each block exclusively for transactions from Orb-verified individuals. This ensures quicker and more reliable access to essential services like proof-of-human verifications, Mini Apps, and grant claims, all without incurring additional costs.
The initiative is a boon for developers looking to tap into World’s network of 13 million verified humans and is part of the project’s ambitious aim to onboard over one billion authenticated users worldwide. Steven Smith, vice president of Engineering and Protocol at Tools for Humanity, lauded PBH for making World Chain “fairer and more efficient” by giving priority to real human transactions during block production. He emphasized the project’s commitment to creating user-friendly systems that leverage cutting-edge technology for the benefit of humanity.
PBH underwent rigorous testing in an incentivized testnet involving top researchers and developers, including experts from Flashbots and Alchemy. The open-source system has been seamlessly integrated into the World Chain Block Builder and Rollup Boost, a modular component optimized for OP Stack chains that supports custom transaction ordering. Both PBH and Rollup Boost have undergone independent audits by blockchain infrastructure firm Nethermind to ensure their reliability and security.
Despite its recent expansion in the United States, World continues to face regulatory challenges globally. The project initially steered clear of a US launch due to concerns around token distribution but has now entered major cities like Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, and San Francisco, seemingly under a more supportive regulatory environment. However, World is still under scrutiny in various countries, with authorities in Spain and Portugal suspending the project over privacy issues related to biometric data usage.
World’s innovative approach to digital identity and transaction prioritization is reshaping the blockchain landscape, offering a glimpse into a future where humans and AI can coexist harmoniously. Stay tuned for more updates on this groundbreaking project as it continues to push boundaries and redefine the way we interact with technology.