Hustler Words – The digital landscape for self-discovery is undergoing a profound transformation. The once-dominant ritual of a "vanity search" on traditional web engines now feels increasingly antiquated, as the burgeoning influence of large language models (LLMs) reshapes how information about individuals is accessed and perceived. In response to this paradigm shift, former OpenAI talents Thomas Dimson and Joey Flynn have unveiled "In the Weights," an innovative platform designed to quantify an individual’s digital footprint within the very fabric of artificial intelligence.
At its core, "In the Weights" delves into the "weights" – the intricate numerical parameters that define an AI model’s learned knowledge and operational output. The service aims to assess an AI’s intrinsic ability to recall information about a person, bypassing external tools like conventional web search. According to the platform’s creators, achieving a presence "in the weights" signifies that one’s existence has been deemed significant enough to be embedded within the foundational architecture of advanced artificial intelligence.
The mechanism behind "In the Weights" involves querying a diverse array of prominent AI models, including Grok, Gemini, various iterations of GPT, Claude, and Llama, alongside lesser-known systems. Each model is presented with a direct question, such as "Who is
Related Post
For instance, one prominent technology journalist achieved a strength score of 641, placing them within the top 6% of names indexed. This impressive standing, however, was quickly contextualized by the even higher scores attained by several Hustler Words colleagues. The platform’s dynamic leaderboard constantly shifts, recently showcasing "Home Alone" star Macaulay Culkin and opera legend Luciano Pavarotti neck-and-neck at the top, both with strength scores around 988. Beyond the scores, "In the Weights" also illuminates which specific models contribute to a given individual’s profile and, notably, highlights instances of AI hallucination – such as GPT-5.4 Mini’s ambiguous interpretation of the journalist’s name.
Dimson explained to Hustler Words via email that the project emerged from a desire for creative rejuvenation after his and Flynn’s departure from OpenAI, where they had landed following the acquisition of their design startup, Global Illumination. He articulated a forward-looking perspective, noting that "Google vanity searches are the wrong objective in 2026 as more traffic moves to LLMs." The concept was further solidified by the intriguing notion that "so many lives are encoded somehow in a bunch of floating point numbers inside the AI brain," a thought crystallized by a playful blog post that riffed on AI weights and Terry Bisson’s classic sci-fi short story, "They’re Made Out of Meat."
The reception to "In the Weights" has been nothing short of phenomenal. Dimson observed, "Reception has been insane so far, we thought this would be a mild curiosity but it seems like it has struck a nerve of wanting to see if you live forever in the super intelligence (the comparison factor doesn’t hurt either!)." While the idea of chatbot recognition as a ticket to immortality remains a subject of debate – with AI critics like Anthony Moser quipping it’s "literally the same as asking 13 chatbots to tell you about yourself" – the platform’s ability to codify one’s digital presence into an easily comparable score is undeniably compelling. The site’s charming, Nintendo-inspired retro design further enhances its appeal.
Looking ahead, Dimson plans to delve deeper into the intricacies of AI recall. His future research will explore why different models within the same series yield varying results, identify potential biases in how models perceive different demographics, and even pinpoint individuals who, despite their significance, currently lack a Wikipedia presence but are strongly recognized within AI’s "weights." "In the Weights" thus offers a fascinating, and perhaps unsettling, glimpse into our evolving digital legacies.
Leave a Comment