Receive free updates on Life & Arts
Sign up for our newsletter to stay up-to-date with the latest Life & Arts news. Every morning, we’ll send you a myFT Daily Digest email summarizing the top stories.
Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, has an intriguing project involving orbs. Recently, Altman introduced silver ball sculptures on sticks in various public locations worldwide. Volunteers are invited to gaze into the orbs and have their irises photographed. In return, they receive a token for a new cryptocurrency called Worldcoin. It’s an unusual concept, but Altman believes it will contribute to building a global database capable of distinguishing between humans and AI. This database could potentially be utilized by social media companies to combat bots. Altman also envisions that the data collected could eventually help in distributing universal income.
People have become accustomed to providing their biometric data in exchange for various services, such as using apps that create AI-generated images based on uploaded selfies. The crypto orb, however, seems to be an attempt to associate AI with excitement and magic, rather than the dystopian concerns surrounding data collection by private companies. I can’t help but wonder why Altman specifically chose an orb for this project. What does he know about the allure of orbs that made him confident people would be drawn to them?
Orbs have gained attention in recent years through various cultural references. The MSG Sphere, a massive spherical structure in Las Vegas with an enormous interior video screen, is one notable example. With 18,000 seats, it will be the largest spherical structure in the world upon its September opening. Additionally, the image of Donald Trump touching a glowing orb during a press event in Saudi Arabia circulated online in 2017, sparking curiosity. The “pondering my orb” meme, featuring a somber wizard contemplating a glowing orb, has also become popular. People have amusingly replaced the orb in the image with objects related to their personal interests.
The appeal of orbs is multifaceted. The term itself, “orb,” has a pleasant roundness to it and has been used poetically to describe planets and the sun in various literary works. There is something simultaneously serious and silly about orbs. They represent celestial objects with mysterious powers while also being nothing more than balls. Orbs possess a gravely spiritual and profoundly brainless quality. They can be seen as crystal balls that reveal visions or sacred symbols like the Sovereign’s Orb, a token of supreme power. Yet, people are also drawn to orbs simply because they are round and aesthetically pleasing. This attraction to roundness can be observed in various examples, such as the iconic painting “Girl with a Pearl Earring,” marbles, and the popularity of “zorbing.”
Pondering orbs can lead to amusing thoughts and associations. Almost anything round can be considered an orb, from fruits to the moon. Even the brain itself might be seen as an orb. When we look into an orb, we do so with our own orbs, our eyes. It’s this sense of whimsical stoner wisdom that makes pondering orbs a perfect meme. Altman recognized the universal appeal of orbs, but perhaps he underestimated the inherent silliness of people earnestly peering into those orbs, which don’t quite predict the future but carry an air of menace. The project is both captivating and absurd.
By Imogen West-Knights
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
