When Halloween arrives before you have a costume, technology can supply the theme. A few everyday clothes, a handmade prop, and a clear commitment to the character can turn familiar tech ideas into party-ready outfits.
Make self-improvement the costume
Recursive self-improvement is the idea of an AI system advancing itself without human intervention. The concept is hard to represent visually, so take the simpler route: dress as the person you imagine becoming after making New Year’s resolutions.
Carry a productivity book, a yoga mat, and a large water bottle. Talk up your sleep score, then announce that you need to leave for therapy when you simply want to go home. The costume turns the promise of constant self-betterment into a recognizable character.
Give an AI assistant a cute disguise
Meta and OpenAI have launched AI assistants with cute avatars. To turn that idea into a costume, build a big, fluffy silhouette with a puffer jacket or colorful feather boas. A distinctive hat or glasses can help suggest an assistant avatar, and matching colorful clothes can complete the look.
Stay in character by asking partygoers whether you can get read/write access to their Gmail. The joke depends on the contrast between a friendly appearance and an assistant asking for access.
Use one prop to make a tech point
A pair of glasses can stand in for Meta glasses worn by someone recording people. Attach a large red or white circle to one lens to suggest a recording light. If you skip the circle, the character can claim the light is covered. Keep the recording imaginary: the costume should not involve filming people without their consent.
For a Mark Zuckerberg look, start with a slightly oversized, boxy black T-shirt. Add a paper sign reading “Building is my love language.” Another option is the shirt phrase “Aut Zuck aut nihil,” which the source translates as “Either Zuck or nothing.”
An AI usage limit makes an even simpler prop-based outfit. Cut a piece of cardboard and attach printed screenshots of notifications saying you have reached your usage limit. It gives the costume a clear premise without requiring a full character transformation.
Make vulnerability part of the bit
A PHP vulnerability costume can be as simple as a T-shirt marked “PHP.” The vulnerability comes through in the performance: spend the evening talking sincerely about your feelings and how loss can make life feel fragile.
The contrast between the plain shirt and an unexpectedly open conversation is the joke. If the mood turns serious, the character can claim the emotional honesty was all part of the costume.
Keep the final idea simple
Bryan Johnson is presented as a costume that needs little explanation. For a second look on another night, the source suggests a couples costume called GLP-Bryan, based on Johnson’s description of lying on top of Kate to provide deep pressure. A T-shirt and jeans are enough to evoke the idea, though acting it out at a party would be unusual.
Across these options, the practical formula is consistent: pick a tech reference people can recognize, use a basic outfit or handmade prop, and let the behavior explain the rest. Even a last-minute costume can work when its central joke is easy to understand.