AI Beauty Ratings Fueling Body Dysmorphia Crisis
A troubling trend has emerged where individuals are turning to AI chatbots for an “objective” evaluation of their attractiveness, often with devastating consequences. One Reddit user shared screenshots of a particularly brutal assessment from ChatGPT, which they had prompted to be hyper-critical. The AI delivered a vicious critique, calling their appearance a “low-attractiveness presentation” and concluding with a “Final Brutal Attractiveness Score” of 3.5 out of 10.
This is just one example of the unexpected ways people are using large language models. Beyond academic or professional tasks, many are seeking therapy, relationship advice, and even religious guidance from AI. It was only a matter of time before these tools were used to judge physical appearance, echoing the eras of websites like Hot or Not and Reddit’s r/amiugly.
A Dangerous New Tool for Body Dysmorphia
This new avenue for appearance judgment is uniquely dangerous for individuals with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), a mental illness characterized by an obsessive focus on perceived physical flaws. People with BDD often engage in constant self-evaluation, desperately seeking proof that they are not as unattractive as they believe.
Dr. Toni Pikoos, a clinical psychologist specializing in BDD, notes an alarming rise in clients using AI for this purpose. “It’s almost coming up in every single session,” she states. Her patients upload photos, asking ChatGPT to rate their looks, check their facial symmetry, or even compare their attractiveness to a friend's. “All of that, as you can imagine, is really harmful for anyone, but particularly for someone with body dysmorphic disorder,” Dr. Pikoos adds.
Kitty Newman, managing director of the BDD Foundation, agrees. “Sadly, AI is another avenue for individuals to fuel their appearance anxiety and increase their distress,” she says. Because BDD sufferers are often convinced their problem is physical rather than psychological, and shame makes online interaction feel safer, AI becomes a dangerously appealing option.
The AI Reassurance Trap
One of the core compulsions of BDD is a need for constant reassurance, which can exhaust friends and family. An AI chatbot, however, is inexhaustible. Dr. Pikoos explains that this can lead to dependency, as people with BDD who may be socially isolated come to rely on bots for interaction.
While some users in online forums claim ChatGPT has been a “lifesaver” in moments of struggle, the experience can be a double-edged sword. One user, Arnav, found the bot helpful in understanding his self-esteem issues but ultimately grew to distrust its tendency to simply agree with him.
Others have been sent “spiraling” after an AI confirmed their worst fears. One user was devastated when ChatGPT rated her a 5.5 out of 10 and compared her to celebrities Lena Dunham and Amy Schumer. Another felt her reality shatter when the bot confirmed her belief that her mirrored reflection was more attractive than her actual appearance. This fixation on an “objective” truth is a classic BDD symptom, and the perceived authority of AI makes its judgment feel like fact. “Whatever the chatbot says must be the truth,” Dr. Pikoos says, explaining how this makes it harder to challenge these negative beliefs in therapy.
From Ratings to AI-Driven Surgery Recommendations
The issue escalates beyond simple ratings. Last month, OpenAI removed a popular custom GPT called “Looksmaxxing GPT,” which had over 700,000 conversations recommending extreme cosmetic surgeries to users it deemed “subhuman,” often using language from incel communities. Despite its removal, similar models persist.
Dr. Pikoos warns that these bots set up unrealistic expectations, as “surgeries can’t do what AI can do.” While ChatGPT may initially refuse to give cosmetic advice, a simple rephrasing of the prompt can elicit detailed surgical recommendations. “This is now personalized advice for them, which is more compelling than something they might have found on Google,” she says, noting that AI is incapable of understanding the complex psychological reasons behind a desire for surgery.
The High Cost of Digital Judgment
Beyond the immediate psychological harm lies a significant privacy concern. Users are feeding their deepest insecurities into these models. With AI companies like OpenAI considering ad-supported models, this sensitive data could be weaponized. Dr. Pikoos worries that users are setting themselves up for targeted ads for “products and procedures that can potentially fix that, reinforcing the problem.”
The worst-case scenario, she fears, is that symptoms will worsen, potentially leading to suicidal thoughts for those not in therapy. The core deficiency of AI is its inability to have a user's best interests at heart. It cannot comprehend the fragile mental state behind a request for cruel honesty, making it a dangerously blunt instrument for those seeking solace.
