I recently discovered an incredibly fun AI tool: Extrapolate!
To be honest, I've always been curious about what I'll look like when I'm old. Although my rational mind tells me it's a bit early to think about this, who doesn't have some curiosity, right? The day before yesterday, while scrolling through my phone, I accidentally saw someone promoting this AI face aging app called Extrapolate. It claims that by uploading a photo, you can see what you'll look like in 10 years, 20 years, or even at 90 years old. I figured I had nothing better to do, so I gave it a try, and I couldn't stop!
Let me first explain what this tool does. In simple terms, it's an AI-powered face aging simulator. You just need to take or upload a front-facing photo of yourself (preferably with good lighting and clear facial features), then select the age you want to see in the future—like 10 years, 20 years, 30 years, or even straight to 90. Click the button, and after a few seconds, the system generates a photo of you as an older person. When I tried it, seeing myself 20 years older made me almost laugh out loud. Those wrinkles and nasolabial folds made me look more like my dad than my dad himself, haha.
The core functionality is really simple, but the effect is quite realistic. The AI model it uses is likely trained through deep learning, capable of predicting the aging trajectory based on facial features, bone structure, skin texture, and so on. Unlike some software that simply adds a filter or pastes a few wrinkle stickers, Extrapolate feels like it's simulating biological changes—like the eyelids drooping a bit, cheeks sinking, and even the hairline receding. How should I put it? It feels very realistic, but not creepy.
How to use it? Just three steps
- Step 1: Upload a photo. Supports common formats like JPG, PNG. Best is a front-facing photo with a natural smile—avoid exaggerated expressions.
- Step 2: Select the time span. Options: 10 years, 20 years, 30 years, 50 years, 70 years. You can also manually enter an age.
- Step 3: Click generate. Wait a few seconds, and the result appears. If you're not satisfied, you can change the photo and try again.
It also offers a gallery feature called "My Gallery," where all generated photos are saved for comparison or showing off. I took a look, and the platform has already generated over 377,000 photos across all devices, and it's still growing. It seems there are quite a few curious people like me!
Personal experience: Truly amazed
I tested it with three different photos: one was an ID photo (quite formal), one was a selfie from a trip (slightly angled), and one was a student photo from a few years ago (when I was much slimmer). The result was that the system handled the ID photo best because the facial features were in the most standard position. The selfie, due to the angle, generated an older version that was slightly skewed, but the overall outline was still there. The student photo was amazing—it even restored the baby fat on my face from back then, and then aged it. It looked like a "young version of an elderly person," haha.
I also tried uploading photos of my parents to see what they'd look like when older (though they're already old). The system magnified their wrinkles and spots several times. My mom exclaimed, "Is this AI a devil?" Then she smiled and said, "If I really look like that in the future, I'll have to get Botox." Honestly, this tool is perfect for family entertainment. Use it together during gatherings to create an absolutely lively atmosphere.
Security and privacy: You can feel at ease
I know some people might worry about privacy after uploading photos. Extrapolate's FAQ states that they take user privacy seriously. If you no longer want to use it, you can delete your account, and all data will be deleted as well. Moreover, the photos are only used for generating results and won't be stored elsewhere for misuse. At least on paper, it seems reliable. Of course, if you're particularly concerned, you can use an uncommon photo or wear glasses before uploading.
There are quite a few use cases
Besides personal fun, I found it can be used in these areas:
- Social media avatar generation: Using the aged version as an avatar is definitely eye-catching.
- Couples predicting each other's future look: See if your partner still looks good when old—though it's a bit mean, haha.
- Entertainment live streaming effect: Streamers can interact with this tool live, and fans will love it.
- Science education: Show students the aging process, which is much more vivid than dry theoretical explanations.
Anyway, I think it's one of those simple yet super interesting little tools. When you're bored on the weekend, just open it up and play, and you can also share it on social media to get a bunch of likes. You don't need any deep AI knowledge, nor do you need to register a complicated account. Just open the webpage, upload a photo, and you're good to go. It's extremely user-friendly for beginners.
A few complaints and reminders
However, it's not entirely perfect. For example, generated photos sometimes feel a bit "cookie-cutter," especially when different people choose the same age range, the wrinkle distribution tends to look similar. It might be a limitation of the training data; I hope future updates improve this. Also, if you use a side-face photo or a photo with glasses, the effect diminishes. It's recommended to use a front-facing photo with no obstructions. Additionally, although it claims to predict up to 90 years old, when I tried the 90-year-old option, the resulting image looked almost like a mummy—too exaggerated. It might be reasonable only up to around 50 years old.
Also, note that this tool is free to try, but I haven't fully figured out the free usage limit. I played around with it many times and wasn't charged, so it likely has some restrictions but enough for you to get a taste.
Overall
Extrapolate is a fun, easy-to-use, time-killing little app, especially suitable for those curious about AI or their future appearance. You can treat it as a "time mirror" to see yourself decades from now, and then decide whether to start serious skincare and diet control from now on. Anyway, after seeing the results, I immediately ordered an eye cream—I scared myself, haha.
Well, that's my sharing for today. If you try it too, remember to leave a comment and tell me how accurate you find it! (Of course, I can't paste a link; just search for "Extrapolate" yourself.)