The Orb Is Watching You

PRESENTED BY RAREBIRD

Happy Friday, Future Party. Since we won’t see you again until Monday, Happy Star Wars Day. It’s a good time to be a fan of the galaxy far, far away (as many of us here at TFP are), with the new season of Andor already halfway through on Disney+. Where else can you explore the intricacies of trade negotiations, executive power, and imperialistic ambitions? Actually… that’s every news story these days. Well, it’s nice to add some aliens and space battles into the mix.

World — the eye-scanning crypto/human-verification product from Tools for Humanity, the startup founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and physics researcher Alex Blania — is officially coming to America (excluding New York) after a global rollout… and is getting an Apple Store-like treatment.

The Big Picture: In the age of AI, determining whether someone online is human — and avoiding digital scams — is only going to get harder… which is why Altman (who’s partly responsible for this problem) sees World as a necessary service. Just how lucrative the venture becomes will depend on how comfortable people feel uploading their biometric data into the company’s Orb device.

Behind the Scans: World made a major debut in America yesterday.

The Future: World has been through several iterations since launching in 2023 as a crypto project called Worldcoin. Although met with a lot of controversy (data breaches, bans in countries like Spain and Brazil), the company has raised $240 million in VC funding, and users have hit 26 million (with 12 million signing up via the Orb). The company’s goal is to eventually make money via fees paid by apps that want to ensure their users are verified humans, not bots — like, hypothetically, Ticketmaster requiring each ticket sold to be connected to a World ID.

One day, society may be split between those who are Orb-verified and those who aren’t.

Coffee is the lifeblood of America, but that “caffeeling” — brain fog, anxiety, and poor sleep — sure ain’t great. In fact, about 50% of Americans are genetically sensitive to caffeine. “Jittery” is the price we pay for that sweet morning pick-me-up.

Well, it doesn’t have to be.

When a UC Berkeley PhD realized it was wrecking his productivity and sleep, he created Rarebird: a coffee that replaces caffeine with Px, a smarter, cleaner caffeine metabolite that’s gentler on the body. Our bodies naturally turn caffeine into Px; it just takes all day (or more) and a list of side effects to do so. Rarebird kicked out the middleman, making their brew the first Px coffee on the market.

The results are:

Rarebird is for everyone from the five-espresso warrior to the decaf faithful. Same ritual, better results.

Use code “FUTURE15” to get going with Rarebird today.

Celebrities, especially male celebrities, are organizing official run clubs as a way to gather fans, build community, raise money, and get a little healthier in the process.

Why It Hits: Celebrity-driven book clubs, like those popularized by female superstars Reese Witherspoon and Oprah Winfrey, have made a huge impact on culture — getting more people reading and minting best-selling authors. Guys like Diplo, Jelly Roll, and Travis Barker hope run clubs can have a similar impact.

Beyond the Track: Would you run to a Diplo DJ set?

Last Mile: Celebrity-run clubs are a pretty lowkey affair — there are no winners, runners aren’t split into different age groups, and fees to participate are partly donated to charity. The point is for everyone to get active and have fun, which aligns with new health and wellness trends. With running in general picking up in popularity, don’t be surprised if footwear brands like Nike, On, HOKA, and others look to partner up with the clubs on exclusive products and themed events.

Hiring the best talent doesn’t have to be expensive. Athyna connects you with highly skilled LATAM professionals in just five days.

The best part? It saves you up to 70% on salaries without compromising quality.

Their AI-powered platform ensures you get vetted, top-tier candidates tailored to your needs. That means faster onboarding, lower costs, and immediate impact.

Scale your team smarter, faster, and more affordably today.

Find top tech talent with Athyna.

67.9% of you voted Yes in yesterday’s poll: Do you keep a water bottle with you throughout the day?

“I’ve been doing this since Nalgenes were the bottles du jour in the early 2000s.”

“All day, every day, especially since I’ve had kidney stones before!”

“I have an office desk water bottle. A car water bottle. And a bedside table water bottle. That way, I’m not lugging one bottle around everywhere. There’s simply one there at all times.”

“I’m more of a coffee in my thermos type of guy.”

Let’s keep the conversation going. Join our Poll Of The Day newsletter, so your opinions can shine. Discover how your views line up with your peers’, check out cool insights, and have some fun. It’s data with personality.

🍿 This year's Memorial Day weekend could be the biggest ever at the box office, with Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning and Lilo & Stitch expected to debut at a combined $200 million.

🎭 The 2025 Tony Awards have been revealed, led by Buena Vista Social Club, Death Becomes Her, and Maybe Happy Ending, with 10 nominations each.

🎲 MoviePass is trying yet again to reclaim cultural relevance — this time, by launching a fantasy gaming and betting platform for box-office metrics.

👀 Apple could be facing criminal charges for lying about loosening its App Store restrictions when ordered by the US federal court.

🤖 The United Arab Emirates will become the first country to use AI to write its laws.

🧐 NYC is considering going full Minority Report on its subways, using cameras to predict if a crime is about to take place.

📦 Amazon plans to expand its rural delivery presence by opening over one hundred new warehouses.

💳 On the heels of Mastercard’s recent announcement, Visa is also opening up payment tools for AI agents.

💰 According to the Interactive Advertising Bureau, 18% of US GDP now comes from the digital economy.