Tools for Humanity partnering with PH developers

Tools for Humanity, co-founded and chaired by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, is expanding its presence in Southeast Asia by partnering with developers in the Philippines to build locally relevant “Mini Apps” and “proof-of-human tools” aimed at securing digital spaces in the age of AI.

Tools for Humanity is a software and hardware development firm creating digital identity technologies such as the World Network — a global “proof-of-humanity” network utilizing its “Orb” biometric device to verify that a user is a human being amid the proliferation of deepfakes and identity fraud in the internet.

“I’m in the Philippines meeting with developers and partners to explore how proof-of-human [technology] can help build a safer, more inclusive internet for Filipinos in the age of AI. With a young, digitally savvy population and a growing middle class eager for new technologies and financial tools, World App's Mini Apps ecosystem is quickly gaining traction. We’re happy to collaborate with local developers and technologists to build new Mini Apps — created by Filipinos, for Filipinos,” said Tiago Sada, chief product officer at Tools for Humanity. 

“The Philippines has one of the world’s most digitally engaged populations,” said Sada.

Tools for Humanity’s move to launch its human verification device, “The Orb,” across the Philippines was aimed to combat online fraud amid AI-fueled scams, identity theft, and deepfake. 

Sada said that with a fast-growing middle class and high mobile penetration, the Philippines is seen as a “strategic testbed” for innovation, particularly in emerging markets where tech adoption is rapid but online protections remain uneven.

He said the tech company’s “Mini Apps” ecosystem —which offers users lightweight digital services built on proof-of-human verification— is gaining traction in markets where access to traditional banking and government infrastructure is limited. 

By tapping into local developer networks, Sada said World Network aims to build products that “are not only technically robust but also culturally and economically relevant—bridging gaps in trust, access, and inclusion.”

Sada cited as a use-case for World Network’s human verification technology the Philippine government’s cash aid program, which can be tapped to weed out ‘ghost beneficiaries.”

He said the tech firm is continuously in discussions with relevant government agencies such the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), but declined to divulge further details. —KG, GMA Integrated News