Source-led article
In the Weights: A New AI Vanity Search Tool Measures Digital Footprint in LLMs
In an era where traditional web searches are increasingly complemented by generative AI, a new platform named “In the Weights” offers a novel way for individuals to gauge their digital footprint within large language models (LLMs). Developed by former OpenAI engineers Thomas Dimson and Joey Flynn, the tool provides a “strength score” indicating how effectively various AI models recall information about a specific person without relying on web search.
The initiative stems from a growing sentiment that AI chatbots are becoming a primary source of information about individuals, shifting the paradigm from conventional search engines. Dimson and Flynn conceptualized “In the Weights” to measure how much of a person’s existence has been “encoded” within the numerical parameters, or “weights,” of AI models during their training.
How ‘In the Weights’ Works
The platform queries a diverse range of AI models, including Grok, Gemini, multiple versions of GPT, Claude, and Llama, with a prompt such as, “Who is
The results also highlight which specific models returned particular answers, and can even flag potential hallucinations or inaccuracies. This feature offers a unique glimpse into the internal knowledge representation of different AI systems and their varying levels of accuracy when retrieving biographical data.
Key facts
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Measures how well AI models recall information about an individual without web search. |
| Creators | Thomas Dimson and Joey Flynn, former OpenAI engineers. |
| How it works | Queries multiple LLMs (Grok, Gemini, GPT, Claude, Llama) and assigns a “strength score.” |
| Key output | Strength score, model-specific recall, and identification of potential AI hallucinations. |
The Shift from Traditional Vanity Search
Thomas Dimson explained that the idea was born from the observation that “Google vanity searches are the wrong objective in 2026 as more traffic moves to LLMs.” He highlighted that “so many lives are encoded somehow in a bunch of floating point numbers inside the AI brain.” The platform aims to tap into the human desire to see if one “lives forever in the super intelligence,” combined with a competitive element of score comparison.
The tool’s reception has been significant, with users intrigued by the notion of their digital existence being codified within AI models. While some critics, like AI critic Anthony Moser, view it as simply querying multiple chatbots, the comparison factor and the retro-inspired design have contributed to its viral appeal.
Implications for India’s Digital Landscape
For individuals and professionals in India, particularly those in the tech, startup, and digital marketing sectors, “In the Weights” presents an interesting new metric. As AI adoption grows in India, understanding how one’s professional or public profile is perceived and recalled by LLMs could become increasingly relevant. This could impact personal branding, thought leadership, and even how public figures or companies manage their digital presence in the age of generative AI.
The tool also offers insights into potential biases within AI models. Dimson plans to further analyze why different models yield varied results and whether certain models are biased towards specific demographics or types of individuals. This research could be particularly valuable for understanding fairness and representation in AI systems, a critical area of focus for India’s burgeoning AI ecosystem and regulatory discussions.
The future development of “In the Weights” includes exploring which individuals “should have a Wikipedia article but don’t,” suggesting a potential role in identifying overlooked figures in AI’s knowledge base.
Source: TechCrunch AI, https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/20/in-the-weights-is-your-new-ai-centric-vanity-search/