Technologies
I Uploaded a Photo of My Face to Get an AI-Generated Biological Age Estimate. It Shocked Me
Can AI help with a personalized health screening? I uploaded a selfie to find out.

Somewhere on TikTok, I discovered that you can upload a selfie to ChatGPT and ask what nonsurgical treatments you could consider for antiaging. It gives you a full breakdown, like an AI cosmetic surgeon.
Pretty cool, especially given the cost of a cosmetic doctor.
But I’d tested out ChatGPT already for beauty advice and FaceApp to show me how I’ll age. I was looking for advice from AI that went deeper with insights based on my skin and what’s going on underneath its surface. It is the body’s largest organ, after all.
That’s when I discovered Noom’s new AI Face Scan feature, which promises longevity stats from a simple selfie in seconds. I had to try it, even though I was scared about what it would reveal. Years of partying hard and traveling the world likely accelerated my aging process.
Worth it, though.
Noom, a health and longevity platform, launched Face Scan and Future Me in October 2025, available for free to use via the app. Face Scan is powered by NuraLogix, while Future Me uses Haut.ai.
Let’s see my biological age according to AI.
Huberman-style health insights, using AI
To access the AI features, I downloaded the Noom app and created a login. Noom asked a few questions like my age, height, weight and health goals. Once I was set up, I navigated to the Health tab, then selected Health Insights.
I was presented with three options: Face Scan, Future Me and Body Composition Scan.
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I was more interested in the health screening report to find out what AI predicted for my biological age, metabolic and heart health indicators and vital signs, as well as what Noom would recommend to improve it. Biological age tests are usually conducted through blood tests, and even then, they aren’t 100% accurate or indicative of overall health.
Selfie time, but do I dare do it without makeup? It’ll probably be more accurate.
Noom opened with its privacy policy, which you have to give consent for, then asked a few more questions, such as my birthday and whether I smoke, take any medications or have diabetes. This information is used for the biological age calculator. I scanned the privacy policy and couldn’t see any red flags.
Then it gave me some tips on how to take the best selfie. Basically, an intense close-up.
While it was loading, it gave more context about how it worked. Noom uses remote photoplethysmography (rPPG) to detect tiny changes in color and light absorption beneath the skin with the aim of determining blood volume and flow, heart rate, breathing and stress levels.
Photoplethysmography is the technology used in wearables, but studies are split on the validity of rPPG.
One study published in 2023 determined it was uncertain as to the extent that rPPG will be able to estimate blood pressure in real-world settings, due to physiologic, environmental and technical limitations. Another study (2021) stated, «image processing based approaches for rPPG have been shown to perform better than contact-based sensors for pulse rate determination.»
Noom has prefaced this in its fine print in the app, stating «Health insights in this report are for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice.»
What I saw next was what I feared: a biological age of 44 when I’m 37.
Granted, I took this photo with no makeup while recovering from an IVF procedure a few days ago. Growing up in the Australian sun likely didn’t help, either. According to Noom, it uses the «stress patterns from tiny color changes in the skin.»
Here’s what the report said:
Based on this, the AI app said I should focus on improving my cardiac workload and heart rate variability.
Next up, my metabolic health, which it said was optimal:
Looks like I need to work on the high triglycerides.
Next, I was hoping for a full report with lifestyle suggestions, but it directed me straight to a page to buy GLP-1 — drugs like Ozempic — to «lower my biological age.» Ouch.
This was a bit disappointing because it felt like the endgame was to get me to buy Noom’s products, rather than provide substantive advice.
So instead, I took all this information across to good ol’ ChatGPT for an action plan that I can review and reach out to my doctor about.
Here was my prompt: «I used Noom’s Face Scan feature to learn my biological age and health markers. Can you review the results and provide an action plan on how I can improve my health? I need to improve my cardiac workload and heart rate variability. It said I’m at risk of high triglycerides. Explain what all of this means and what I can do about it to reduce my biological age.»
Reviewing my results
I liked how I could feed all of the information from Noom into ChatGPT for further context. For example, ChatGPT told me the results don’t necessarily mean I’m «unhealthy,» but rather, I have physiological stress markers on the face, possibly due to inflammation and stress. It even said, «recent medical treatments can temporarily worsen bloat/inflammation.»
Thanks, ChatGPT.
Here’s where it got tactical with an action plan to reduce my biological age, improve heart function and lower triglycerides:
It also gave me a 30-day health optimization plan, which included 20-40 minutes of cardio, five minutes of HRV breathing, taking magnesium at night, a 10-minute walk after heavier meals, consuming 30-40g of protein with every meal, drinking 2 liters of water each day, getting morning sunlight and going to bed between 10:30 and 11 p.m. All of that was done daily — it also suggested several times a week of yoga or Pilates, strength training, using a sauna and taking long outdoor walks, as well as recommending a diet that was high in omega-3, low in carbs, low in alcohol, high in fiber and Mediterranean-style.
According to ChatGPT, following these basic tenets would improve my biological age within four to six weeks.
It’s important to note that this is not the same as an accurate medical diagnosis or treatment plan from a qualified clinician — and neither is Noom’s report either — so you should always consult your doctor when you have health concerns or are considering significant changes to your lifestyle (diet, taking supplements, etc.) — especially so that your medical information remains private.
The verdict
While I didn’t love Noom alone, I did find it useful to use those insights to prompt ChatGPT. I’ve ended the year with a big goal for 2026: to get serious about strength training. This reiterates health data I’ve explored with AI before.
Now I have a doable action plan to inform my new year’s goal setting.
(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, CNET’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)
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Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, Dec. 17
Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Dec. 17.
Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.
Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.
If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.
Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword
Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.
Mini across clues and answers
1A clue: Nod (off)
Answer: DOZE
5A clue: Naval submarine in W.W. II
Answer: UBOAT
7A clue: Tricky thing to do on a busy highway
Answer: MERGE
8A clue: Heat-resistant glassware for cooking
Answer: PYREX
9A clue: Put into groups
Answer: SORT
Mini down clues and answers
1D clue: Break up with
Answer: DUMP
2D clue: Falls in line, so to speak
Answer: OBEYS
3D clue: Legendary vigilante who cuts a «Z» with his sword
Answer: ZORRO
4D clue: Rarin’ to go
Answer: EAGER
6D clue: Common reminder for an upcoming appointment
Answer: TEXT
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Technologies
You Can Watch an Exclusive Avatar: Fire and Ash Scene on TikTok Right Now
Disney and TikTok partner on an immersive content hub for James Cameron’s latest movie about the alien Na’vi.
If you’re not quite ready to head to the theater to watch Avatar: Fire and Ash, an exclusive scene preview might sell you on the visual spectacle. As part of a new collaboration with the social media giant, Disney is posting snippets of its new movie to its TikTok account.
This scene isn’t part of any trailer and won’t be posted to other social media accounts, making TikTok the only place you can view it — unless you buy a movie ticket. A first look at the new movie’s scenes isn’t the only Avatar-related bonus on the social media platform right now, either. TikTok has partnered with the house of mouse to bring an entire «immersive content hub» to the app.
A special section of TikTok includes quizzes and educational videos that explore the alien world of Pandora shown off in the movies. On TikTok, you can take a personality quiz to find out what Na’vi clan you most closely align with and unlock a special profile picture border to use on your account.
Science and fiction blend together with a series of videos from real doctors who explain the basis for some of Avatar’s world-building. If you want to learn about exoplanets or how realistic the anatomy of the movie’s alien animals is, these videos will feed your brain while still providing entertainment value.
Perhaps the most enticing part of Disney’s latest social media collaboration is the opportunity for fans to win prizes and trips. TikTok creators who make edits with the #TikTokAvatarContest hashtag are entered into a competition to win Avatar merchandise. The biggest winners will be able to take a trip to visual effects studio Wētā Workshop in New Zealand or visit Avatar director James Cameron’s Lightstorm Entertainment Studio in Los Angeles.
Avatar: Fire and Ash is the third installment in director Cameron’s cinematic passion project. While the first Avatar movie was released in 2009, Cameron didn’t release another entry in the franchise until 2022. In total, there is a five-movie arc planned for the indigo alien Na’vi on the moon of Pandora.
The Avatar movies are known for pushing the boundaries of CGI visual effects in cinema. They are also historically big winners at the box office: the original Avatar is the highest-grossing film of all time, earning $2.9 billion across its theatrical releases. Its sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, is the third-highest-grossing film of all time, trailing Avengers: Endgame. You can stream those movies on Disney Plus.
It remains to be seen whether Avatar: Fire and Ash will financially live up to its predecessors. The film currently has mixed reviews from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.
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