In an extraordinary turn of events that highlights the unexpected ways artificial intelligence has entered our daily lives, a Virginia woman struck lottery gold by turning to ChatGPT for her winning numbers.
Carrie Edwards of Midlothian found herself $150,000 richer after matching four numbers plus the Powerball in a recent Virginia Lottery drawing.
“I’m like, ChatGPT, talk to me… Do you have numbers for me?” Edwards recalled asking the AI chatbot on her phone before purchasing her ticket. The digital assistant’s suggestions proved remarkably prescient when Edwards played with the Power Play option, transforming what would have been a $50,000 prize into $150,000.
The moment of discovery came in the most mundane of circumstances. Edwards was sitting in a work meeting two days after her purchase when her phone buzzed with an unexpected notification: “collect your lottery winnings.” Her initial reaction was skepticism.
“I thought it was a scam at first,” she admitted, quickly moving to verify what seemed too good to be true. But the notification was genuine, and Edwards found herself grappling with a life-changing sum of money.
Rather than keeping the windfall for herself, Edwards made a decision that speaks to her character and values. She announced plans to donate the entire amount to charity, viewing her unexpected fortune as an opportunity to make a meaningful impact.
“As soon as that divine windfall happened and came down upon my shoulders, I knew exactly what I needed to do with it,” Edwards explained. “And I knew I needed to give it all away, because I’ve been so blessed, and I want this to be an example of how other people, when they’re blessed, can bless other people.”
The generosity comes with deeply personal motivations. Edwards has chosen to divide her prize money evenly among three organizations that hold special significance in her life. The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration will receive funds in honor of her late husband, while Shalom Farms will be supported for its food justice work. The third recipient, the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, was selected to recognize her father’s legacy.
While ChatGPT was never designed as a lottery number generator, its random suggestions proved fortuitous in this instance.