ChatGPT helps Virginia woman win $150,000 lottery: 'I’ve been so blessed'

While many lottery winners dream of luxury or financial security, Edwards said she felt “blessed” to use her prize money for the greater good.

In recent times, artificial intelligence has been credited with numerous accomplishments, from writing essays to diagnosing medical issues. Now, it has also helped a woman in the United States win the lottery.

Edwards pledged the entire $150,000 to three charities. (AP)

Carrie Edwards, from Virginia, struck gold in the September 8 Virginia Lottery Powerball drawing after asking ChatGPT to choose her numbers. The AI-generated numbers matched four of the first five numbers plus the Powerball, giving her a prize of $50,000. But because she had opted for the $1 Power Play feature, her winnings tripled to $150,000 (approximately ₹1.32 crore), as per a report by the New York Post.

Edwards said she casually asked ChatGPT to “talk to me” and provide numbers when she purchased her ticket. “I’m like, ChatGPT, talk to me… Do you have numbers for me?” she recalled during a press conference.

Then two days later, she received a notification on her phone telling her to claim her prize. Initially, she thought it was a scam. “I thought, ‘I know I didn’t win,’” she said. But she soon realised the AI-generated numbers had earned her a six-figure windfall.

Woman donates lottery money to charity

“As soon as that divine windfall happened and came down upon my shoulders, I knew exactly what I needed to do with it. 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,” she said.

True to her word, Edwards pledged the entire $150,000 to three charities. The first is the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD), which funds research into the condition that claimed her husband’s life in 2024.

Her second donation will go to Shalom Farms, a nonprofit organisation working to tackle food insecurity through sustainable agriculture and food justice programs.

The third beneficiary is the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, an organisation that assists service members and their families.

While many lottery winners dream of luxury or financial security, Edwards said she felt “blessed” to use her prize money for the greater good. For her, the unexpected fortune was less about personal gain and more about creating impact.

Her story has since drawn attention both for its unusual link to ChatGPT and for her act of generosity.