260: Money Talks with Mai Santamaria | The Human Side of Digital Identity

This week, I’m joined by guest co-host Mai Santamaria, the head of the financial advisory unit for the Department of Finance in Ireland. We delve into the world of digital identity, discussing the projects of World ID and TON, iris and palm scanning, and how humans are incentivized to digitalize their identity. Mai and I explore the broader implications of digital identity on economic freedoms and the geopolitical landscape that influences the sovereignty of digital infrastructure.

Show Notes
Guest Profile

Additionally, we touch upon the impact of digital identity in securing basic human rights and the potential shifts towards universal basic income facilitated by emerging technologies. The discussion also includes insights into the challenges and opportunities presented by decentralization, the significance of maintaining digital infrastructure sovereignty, and the ongoing regulatory hurdles faced by companies at the intersection of finance and technology.

TIMESTAMPS:

02:54 The Evolution and Impact of Digital Identity Technologies

03:31 World ID, TON and Digital Identity: A Closer Look

08:45 Exploring the Future of Universal Basic Income and Digital Identity

14:07 The Ethical and Practical Implications of Digital Identity Verification

15:57 Reflecting on the Broader Implications of Digital Identity and Personhood

20:34 Exploring Mobile Wallet Security and User Comfort

21:26 Revolutionizing SIM Technology with eSIMs and Wallet Integration

23:10 The Future of Identity: From Physical to Digital

24:29 Digital Infrastructure and Sovereignty: A European Perspective

30:01 Innovations in Mapping and the Importance of Open Infrastructure

35:03 Navigating Regulatory Challenges in the Crypto Space

36:58 Optimism for the Future of Digital Identity and Infrastructure

Mai originally featured on episode 5 of MoneyNeverSleeps back in 2018, she made a cameo on our 200th episode, and she’s a Techstars mentor. Two of the episodes that I did with Mai recently, episode 241 on the crossover of blockchain and AI and episode 247 on the crossover of blockchain and digital identity, have been very popular with our most loyal listeners, so make sure you check those out.

STORIES WE COVERED:

Worldcoin tightens privacy checks, allows users to unverify World ID (9-Apr-24, Cointelegraph)

TON’s $5M incentive program aims to drive digital ID verification (Cointelegraph, 8-Apr-24)

Two new satellites join the Galileo constellation (ESA, 29-Apr-24)

SEC issues Robinhood Crypto with Wells Notice, citing alleged securities violations (The Block, 6-May-24)

LINKS:

Follow our guest co-host Mai Santamaria on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mai07/

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