Mumbai, February 2: OpenAI is reportedly developing a social media platform designed to eliminate the persistent issue of automated bot accounts through biometric verification. The project, currently in its early stages, seeks to create a "real-humans-only" environment to distinguish itself from existing platforms like X and TikTok.

The initiative is being spearheaded by a small team of fewer than 10 people. According to sources familiar with the matter, the platform may require "proof of personhood" to grant access. This could involve using Apple’s Face ID or the World Orb, a specialized iris-scanning device operated by Tools for Humanity, a company chaired by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. OpenAI Designing Its Own Chips To Help Meet Growing Demand of AI in World, CEO Same Altman and President Greg Brockman Discuss Future Plan (Watch Video).

Biometric Identity and Verification

The move toward biometric identification represents a significant departure from traditional verification methods used by platforms such as Facebook and LinkedIn. While those sites rely on email, phone numbers, or behavioral patterns, OpenAI's proposed model would use unchangeable physical traits to definitively prove a user is human.

This approach directly addresses the "dead internet theory," a concept Sam Altman has recently referenced on social media. The theory suggests that a substantial portion of internet activity is now generated by artificial intelligence rather than people, a trend Altman noted has worsened over the past two years.

Challenging the Incumbent Platforms

OpenAI’s entry into the social media market would place it in direct competition with established giants. Meta’s Instagram currently boasts 3 billion monthly active users, while X continues to struggle with bot purges, having removed approximately 1,700,000 accounts in a single 2025 sweep.

Despite the crowded market, OpenAI possesses a strong track record of consumer adoption. ChatGPT reached 100 million users within two months and currently maintains over 800 million. Additionally, the company's video-generation app, Sora, surpassed 1 million downloads in under five days, indicating a high level of brand loyalty.

Privacy and Market Obstacles

While the biometric solution offers a technical fix for bots, it has already drawn scrutiny from privacy advocates. Critics warn that iris scans and facial data are permanent identifiers that could pose severe security risks if mishandled or leaked. OpenAI Developing Biometric-Based Social Network To Combat Bot Proliferation; Sam Altman’s Firm Eyes ‘Real-Humans-Only’ Platform.

Furthermore, the platform must navigate a landscape where users are increasingly fragmented across niche apps like Bluesky, which has over 40 million users, and Meta’s Threads. OpenAI has not yet provided an official comment or a launch timeline, and the project's features could change significantly before any public debut.

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