Zoom partners with World to verify real humans in meetings

Zoom has announced a partnership with World, a venture associated with Sam Altman, to introduce a system to verify that meeting participants are real humans rather than AI-generated impersonations.

The move comes as concerns over deepfake-based fraud continue to rise. One of the most widely cited incidents occurred in early 2024, when global engineering firm Arup lost $25 million. In that case, an employee in Hong Kong approved multiple wire transfers during what appeared to be a legitimate video call involving the company’s chief financial officer and colleagues. It was later discovered that every participant on the call, except the employee, had been generated using AI deepfake technology. A similar incident affected a multinational organisation in Singapore in 2025.

Industry estimates suggest that financial losses linked to deepfake-enabled fraud surpassed $200 million in the first quarter of last year alone. Reports also indicate that the average loss per corporate incident has climbed above $500,000, underscoring the growing financial risk associated with manipulated video communications.

World pointed out that current detection systems typically rely on analysing individual video frames for signs of manipulation. However, both companies acknowledged that as AI-generated video continues to improve, these traditional detection methods are becoming less reliable.

To address this, the new integration introduces World’s “World ID Deep Face” technology, which uses a multi-layered verification process. The system compares three elements: a signed image captured during the user’s initial registration via the World’s Orb device, a real-time facial scan from the participant’s device, and a live video feed visible during the meeting. Only when all three elements match is the participant verified, at which point a “Verified Human” badge is displayed next to their name.

Zoom said meeting hosts can activate a DeepFace waiting room feature that requires participants to verify their identity before joining. Additionally, participants can request real-time verification from others during an ongoing meeting, adding another layer of security in sensitive situations.

According to Zoom spokesperson Travis Isaman, the integration reflects the company’s broader strategy of maintaining an open ecosystem that allows users to choose security tools suited to their needs. The aim is to provide flexible options for building trust in digital communication workflows.

Beyond its collaboration with Zoom, World has been expanding its identity verification technology across other platforms. The company has formed partnerships with services such as Tinder and Visa, focusing on confirming human identity in digital interactions. More recently, it introduced tools designed to verify that real individuals — rather than automated AI agents — are responsible for transactions during online shopping processes.

As deepfake technology becomes more sophisticated, efforts like this partnership highlight the increasing importance of identity verification in maintaining trust across digital platforms, particularly in high-stakes business environments.