Polkadot News Today: Polkadot Founder Unveils Proof of Personhood System to Combat AI Identity Challenges

Polkadot’s founder, Gavin Wood, recently outlined his implementation plan for the protocol’s decentralized human verification system, known as Proof of Personhood (PoP). This initiative is designed to address the challenges of identity verification in an era where artificial intelligence is increasingly prevalent. Wood presented his vision at the Web3 Summit 2025 in Berlin on July 17, highlighting the importance of PoP in ensuring decentralized human verification on-chain.

The PoP system will be launched through Polkadot’s Individuality system, which comprises two components: DIM1, or Proof of Individuality, and DIM2, or Proof of Verified Individuality. While Wood did not provide an exact launch date, he mentioned that the initiative will be supported by a treasury proposal worth $3 million. Additionally, the launch of PoP will coincide with what Wood described as “the fairest airdrop ever,” further emphasizing the protocol’s commitment to decentralization and fairness.

During his keynote speech at the Web3 Summit, Wood emphasized the need for PoP to address the identity challenges posed by AI. As AI continues to advance, it becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish between AI-operated accounts and human-run accounts. PoP aims to enhance sybil resistance and reduce network security costs by providing a foundational web3 primitive that addresses the vulnerabilities of traditional identity systems, such as CAPTCHAs, SMS, and KYC, in the face of AI-generated replication.

In a panel discussion titled “Trust,” Ian Grigg, Inventor and Financial Cryptographer at Ricardian Contracts, discussed the importance of trust in a world increasingly reliant on AI. Grigg argued that trust is inherently human and involves emotions, uncertainty, and context, elements that machines cannot replicate. He emphasized that automating trust through AI creates fragile and insecure systems. Grigg also highlighted the interlink between trust and identity, stating that understanding who or what is being trusted is crucial and must be grounded in human insight, not just protocol or code.

Wood’s vision for PoP represents a significant step forward in the development of decentralized identity systems. By addressing the challenges posed by AI and traditional identity verification methods, PoP aims to create a more secure and trustworthy environment for users on the Polkadot network. The launch of PoP, backed by a substantial treasury proposal and a fair airdrop, underscores Polkadot’s commitment to innovation and decentralization in the web3 ecosystem.