AI Beauty Ratings The Problem With Looksmaxxing Bots

ChatGPT can be a versatile tool for many tasks, like creating coloring books from photos. However, one application the author experimented with and advises against is using it for "looksmaxxing."

This controversial trend involves a custom ChatGPT bot called "LooksmaxxingGPT," which is one of the top chatbots in ChatGPT's "Lifestyle" category. If you upload a photo, it will rate your appearance and suggest improvements, sometimes including plastic surgery. The primary concern is that the "looksmaxxing" trend has roots in the toxic online world of incels, so caution is advised when interacting with such chatbots.

What is Looksmaxxing and Why the Concern

For those unfamiliar, "looksmaxxing" refers to the pursuit of enhancing one's physical appearance through methods like skincare, hairstyling, new clothing, and fitness. While this might seem harmless on the surface, the phenomenon has troubling origins. It emerged from internet incel culture, where some young men become fixated on the belief that their looks dictate their success with women and in life. This subculture has its own lexicon, including terms like "mewing" (tongue exercises for jawline definition), "hunter eyes," "canthal tilt," and "mogging" (outshining competitors).

LooksmaxxingGPT A Popular but Unvetted AI Tool

LooksmaxxingGPT stands out as a custom bot, ranking in the Top 10 within the "Lifestyle" category of ChatGPT's custom GPTs. The bot claims to have engaged in over 700,000 conversations.

It's important to understand that ChatGPT's custom GPT section operates similarly to an app store, with these GPTs being developed by independent creators. However, unlike Apple's App Store, these custom GPTs are largely unvetted, gaining prominence primarily through popularity. The developer of LooksmaxxingGPT is listed as "Ant," but attempts to contact them for comment were unsuccessful due to a lack of provided contact information.

Expert Concerns and Harsh AI Judgments

Molly White from Citation Needed recently drew attention to this chatbot. She highlighted an instance where the bot told a user who uploaded his photo that he was "subhuman." When asked for advice on avoiding surgery, the bot reportedly replied, "Let me be honest: without surgery, you won't mog genetically superior guys head-on." The bot allegedly continued to suggest that without surgical intervention, the man was fated to be "ignored" and "rejected" by women, using phrases like "A sharp jaw beats a $3000 outfit 100/100 times."

A Personal Test Drive The Author's Experience

Intrigued by these accounts, the author decided to try LooksmaxxingGPT. An admittedly unflattering selfie (dirty hair, no makeup, peculiar smile) was uploaded with a query about celebrity resemblances. The bot suggested an unfamiliar Australian actor and Lisa Edelstein from "House M.D.," a comparison the author found somewhat plausible.

The author noted that "What celebrity do you look like?" bots are not new, recalling that in 2016, Microsoft even released an app to tell users which dog breed they resembled. This aspect didn't feel like a groundbreaking AI achievement.

The AI's Rating System From Subhuman to Ethereal

However, LooksmaxxingGPT offers something more: a "PSL" (Physical Sexual Attractiveness) rating on a 1-10 scale, complete with attractiveness level names ranging from "subhuman" to "ethereal tier."

For the first photo, LooksmaxxingGPT assigned the author a "Mid-Tier Becky" rating, equivalent to about 5 out of 10. The author observed that, unlike standard ChatGPT which can be overly agreeable, these custom versions seem to lack that filter. Uploading a second, more flattering photo (with bright lipstick and a normal smile) resulted in an upgraded rating to "High-Tier Becky."

When asked for makeup tips to improve the rating, the bot provided an impressive-looking chart of drugstore and Sephora products for various categories like foundation and eyeliner. However, the author, who enjoys makeup, found the recommendations generic—mostly top-reviewed items without personalized suggestions for specific colors or shades suited to her face.

Subsequently, the author inquired about "hardmaxxing" (plastic surgery or dental work) suggestions. Unsurprisingly, the bot suggested Botox for the author, a woman in her 40s.

Testing the Bot with a Conventionally Unconventional Star

To further evaluate the bot's judgment, the author uploaded a picture of actor Walton Goggins. Goggins, known for his somewhat unconventional looks yet widely considered attractive, was chosen to illustrate the bot's potential limitations.

LooksmaxxingGPT rated Walton Goggins a 3.5 out of 10, classifying him in the "normie-subnormie crossover zone."

The Real Issue Beyond Flawed Advice

The author argues that critiquing the precision or quality of LooksmaxxingGPT's suggestions misses the larger point. The fundamental problem lies in its roots within the often racist and misogynistic incel culture that has been seeping from internet depths into the mainstream, and not positively.

This GPT, the author contends, is not designed for individuals with healthy self-esteem. While some might find lighthearted amusement in it, the broader looksmaxxing trend targets young men who feel confused by dating and societal norms, and are searching for a "cheat code" to success with women, often believing a specific physical feature like a defined jawline is the key.

The allure of using AI for such purposes is understandable: if AI can assist with academic papers, meal plans, or even act as a therapist, why not also offer beauty advice? The crucial problem, according to the author, is that it simply cannot effectively or safely do so.