- The Rundown Tech
- Posts
- Sam Altman's iris-scanning tech
Good morning, tech enthusiasts. Sam Altman is rolling out iris-scanning technology in several U.S. cities — starting with the “Orb” and a handheld “Orb Mini” set to launch next year.
While the startup behind the products aims to solve ID problems in a world where it’s impossible to distinguish AI from real people, it has also sparked a debate around privacy. Plus, the question remains: will it work with Altman’s other venture, OpenAI?
In today’s tech rundown:
Sam Altman launches iris-scanning tech
Neuralink gets third FDA ‘breakthrough’ tag
FutureHouse unveils ‘AI scientist’ platform
Waymo says its robotaxis are safer than humans
Quick hits on other major news
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
TOOLS FOR HUMANITY
Image source: World
The Rundown: Open AI CEO Sam Altman’s Tools for Humanity just launched its controversial eyeball-scanning technology in six U.S. cities: Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, and San Francisco.
The details:
The company’s basketball-sized “Orb” scans a user’s iris to create a unique “IrisCode,” which forms the foundation of a digital identity called World ID.
Starting this week, users can visit one of six sleek, Apple-style retail locations to get their irises scanned and receive their World ID.
To scale the tech, the company plans to launch Orb Mini in 2026 — a handheld device and app that will let users store their ID information on the blockchain.
It’s also partnering with Visa to launch a World-branded debit card, and with Match Group to pilot age verification for Tinder users in Japan.
Why it matters: The tech has already scanned over 12M eyeballs worldwide, but its U.S. rollout is the most ambitious yet. The company is pitching the biometric system as a crucial tool for distinguishing humans from bots—though it’s also facing sharp scrutiny over privacy concerns, technical flaws, and regulatory hurdles.
NEURALINK
Image source: Neuralink
The Rundown: Elon Musk’s Neuralink just received the FDA's "breakthrough device" designation (the startup’s third) for its brain-computer interface (BCI) — aimed at restoring communication for people with severe speech impairments.
The details:
Neuralink’s BCI decodes neural signals to translate intended speech into digital communication, offering hope for patients who have lost verbal abilities.
The device targets individuals affected by conditions such as ALS, stroke, spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, MS, and other neurological disorders.
This designation accelerates development and review processes, potentially shortening FDA approval timelines by 9-18 months.
Neuralink currently has three distinct brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), including a motor control interface and Blindsight, its vision restoration system.
Why it matters: Neuralink is advancing human trials, alongside China’s NeuCyber and Jeff Bezos-backed Synchron, as the BCI market is projected to grow from $2.9B today to $12–13B by 2034. While securing another “breakthrough device” nod is a major win for Neuralink, only about 12% of such devices ultimately receive full FDA approval.
FUTUREHOUSE
Image source: FutureHouse
The Rundown: FutureHouse, a nonprofit startup backed by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, launched a suite of AI tools designed to revolutionize scientific research by automating key aspects of the discovery process.
The details:
The startup launched four AI agents optimized for specific scientific tasks, from deep literature reviews to identifying prior research and experiment planning.
Benchmarked against human researchers, these agents demonstrated superior precision in literature synthesis and experimental planning.
FutureHouse also said that two AI agents, Falcon and Owl, outperformed PhD-level scientists in controlled evaluations.
The startup runs a wet lab where biologists refine AI tools using experimental data, creating a feedback loop between AI and physical research.
Why it matters: OpenAI and Anthropic CEOs believe AI can accelerate scientific discovery—and FutureHouse is betting on that future, aiming to build an “AI Scientist” capable of experimental design within a decade. Still, questions remain about how effective today’s AI really is in guiding scientific processes or delivering breakthroughs.
WAYMO
The Rundown: Waymo, Alphabet’s self-driving unit, released a new study showing its fully autonomous vehicles outperform human drivers — based on data from 56.7 million miles on the road.
The details:
Waymo said its autonomous vehicles demonstrated a 96% reduction in injury-causing intersection crashes compared to human drivers.
When compared against human drivers, robotaxis show 92% fewer pedestrian injuries, 82% fewer cyclist injuries, and 82% fewer motorcycle injuries.
The company estimates that nationwide deployment of its autonomous vehicles could prevent up to 35K traffic deaths annually in the U.S.
Data was gathered from Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, providing robust evidence of safety across different traffic conditions.
Why it matters: Waymo is one of the few autonomous vehicle companies openly publishing data to support the claim that driverless cars are as safe—or safer—than human drivers. Meanwhile, rival Cruise is still reeling from a nonfatal pedestrian incident in 2023, and public trust in AV safety remains mixed.
QUICK HITS
📰 Everything else in tech today
Apple CEO Tim Cook reportedly said during this week’s earnings call that President Trump’s tariffs will cost the company at least $900M this quarter.
Meta joined forces with Spotify, Garmin, Match, and others to form a lobby group to challenge Apple and Google’s dominance in the mobile ecosystem.
Autonomous trucking firm Aurora successfully launched commercial service in Texas, with driverless freight trucks running their first long-haul routes in the U.S.
Apple changed its App Store rules in the U.S. to allow apps to link users to their own websites for purchases after losing its Epic Games court battle.
Mark Zuckerberg said in an interview with podcaster Dwarkesh Patel that Meta’s AI integration could help fill the friendship void many people have in their lives.
Duolingo is launching 148 new language courses built using generative AI — following its announcement that it would replace some contractors with AI.
Microsoft is raising the prices of its Xbox Series S/X consoles, Xbox controllers, and even some new Xbox games around the world.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg reportedly revealed plans to introduce a premium subscription tier and incorporate advertisements into Meta's new standalone AI app.
Apple must pay a U.S. patent holder $502M for the use of 4G patents in iPhones and iPads in a long-running legal battle with London’s Court of Appeal.
Uber is partnering with self-driving tech startup May Mobility to deploy thousands of self-driving vehicles on its ride-hailing platform across U.S. cities.
COMMUNITY
Join our next workshop today at 4 PM EST with Dr. Alvaro Cintas, The Rundown’s AI professor. By the end of the workshop, you’ll confidently be able to use Google NotebookLM to improve your research, studying, and teaching.
RSVP here. Not a member? Join The Rundown University on a 14-day free trial.
That's it for today's tech rundown!We'd love to hear your feedback on today's newsletter so we can continue to improve The Rundown experience for you. |
See you soon,
Rowan, Jennifer, and Joey—The Rundown’s editorial team
Reply