OpenAI tests idea of biometric-verified social network to tackle bots

OpenAI is exploring the development of a social networking platform designed to limit automated and fake accounts, with early concepts centred on verifying that users are real people, according to people familiar with the matter.

Forbes reported that the project is still at an early stage and is being developed by a small internal team. One idea under consideration is requiring “proof of personhood” through biometric identity checks, potentially using tools such as Apple’s Face ID or the World Orb, an iris-scanning device operated by Tools for Humanity, which is chaired by OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman.

The aim, according to the sources, would be to ensure that every account on the platform is tied to a real individual, addressing a long-standing issue of bot-driven activity on existing social networks. Most major platforms currently rely on email, phone numbers or behavioural signals for verification rather than biometric identification.

Privacy advocates, however, have raised concerns about biometric systems, noting that data such as iris scans cannot be changed if compromised and may pose long-term risks if misused.

Details on how the proposed network would integrate with OpenAI’s existing products remain unclear. Sources said the platform could allow users to generate content using AI tools, such as images or videos, placing it in direct competition with established platforms like Instagram, TikTok and X. There is no confirmed timeline for a public launch, and the concept could change significantly before release.

OpenAI declined to comment on the report. The Verge reported in April that the company was working on a social networking product.

Bot accounts have been a persistent problem across social media platforms, often used to amplify spam, manipulate markets or distort online discourse. The issue has been especially visible on X, where enforcement against automated accounts has fluctuated in recent years despite periodic large-scale removals.

Altman has publicly criticised the growing presence of AI-driven accounts online, posting last year that social platforms increasingly feel artificial. He has also referenced the “dead internet theory,” which argues that a growing share of online activity is generated by non-human actors.

OpenAI has previously demonstrated an ability to scale consumer-facing products quickly. Its chatbot ChatGPT reached 100 million users within two months of launch and has since grown substantially, while its video-generation app Sora recorded more than one million downloads within days.