Overview

• Hundreds gathered at Alamo Square Park on Aug. 22 for the city’s viral look‑alike competition, with large online interest translating into 1,000‑plus RSVPs.
• Organizers used a preliminary AI model on the Performative.lol site to score uploaded photos for “performity” based on visual signifiers such as Labubus, matcha and feminist books.
• Facing an overcapacity crowd and access issues, hosts shifted from relying on AI scores to pulling contestants from the audience and letting “crowd energy” and an all‑women panel determine finalists and the winner.
• The event was put together by young organizers including Kake Jin and Alisa Wu on a modest budget with sponsorships from tech and AI outfits like Dex by Thirdlayer, AI Valley and Ditto AI, plus gift cards from Kiss of Matcha.
• Winner James Arthur Bennett V, a UC Berkeley graduate, embraced the contest’s satirical tone and used his moment to voice political messages and say he would direct any cash prize to women’s shelters and Gaza, as the broader trend continues nationally.