Recently, viewing fortune through artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a new trend, particularly among young people who are increasingly worried about an uncertain future. In response, the number of app users providing services like fortune-telling and daily horoscopes is rapidly increasing.
According to statistics from the application analysis platform Mobile Index on the 3rd, the monthly active users (MAU) of the app 'Posteller,' which offers fortune-telling, tarot, and other services, reached 628,208 as of December last year, marking an increase of 28.2% compared to the same period the previous year (489,745 users). The fortune-telling app 'Jeomsin' also saw its MAU increase to 967,363 at the end of last year, up 16.6% from 829,265 users the previous year.
◇ How's the 2025 fortune? Asking ChatGPT
The AI era is also opening up the fortune-telling market. Recently, social media has buzzed with topics like 'how to read fortunes using ChatGPT.' By inputting their name, birth date, birth hour, and gender, users can check their fortunes.
I asked the representative AI chatbot 'ChatGPT' about my fortune. First, I inquired about my overall fortune, and it provided insights in the following order: ▲ Analysis of key features of the fortune ▲ Personality and tendencies ▲ Career and financial fortune ▲ Romance and marriage fortune ▲ Major fortune (flow of fortune) ▲ Overall fortune summary ▲ Advice. It analyzed tendencies based on the five elements of yin, yang, and the five phases, then examined suitable careers or marriage fortune accordingly. For example, it noted that strong earth (土) and metal (金) indicate a pragmatic and realistic nature, while the absence of wood (木) suggests a preference for reality over ideals.
Next, I asked about the fortune for 2025. This year's fortune was forecasted in the following order: ▲ Fortune analysis ▲ Interpretation of 2025 fortune ▲ Advice for having a good year in 2025 ▲ Summary remarks. For this year's fortune, it provided detailed insights categorized into career, financial fortune, relationships, romance, health, family, and travel. When I asked for monthly fortunes, it provided information on fortunes for each month, along with career and financial fortune, romance fortune, and points to be cautious about.
In this way, ChatGPT produces suitable responses just like real fortune-tellers when users input their birth date and questions into the inquiry box. I received immediate answers without delay. This differs from traditional fortune-telling applications or platforms that convey information unilaterally. In fact, online communities reflected reactions such as, 'When I ask ChatGPT to check my fortune, it actually does, and it’s surprisingly effective,' and, 'It explains in detail based on the five elements of yin, yang, and the five phases.'
◇ AI-based fortune-telling apps gain popularity amid uncertain futures
Apps that provide services like fortune-telling and daily horoscopes are also popular. These apps utilize vast data and deep learning technology to offer precise, personalized fortune information. Jeomsin provides individual fortunes through the analysis of a vast amount of fortune data using AI deep learning technology. Posteller offers various fortune-telling content, including fortune, fortune-telling, tarot, constellations, and dream interpretation, through its self-developed Fortune Analysis System (FAS).
Not only do people consult AI chatbots about their fortunes, but the instances of confiding personal struggles have also increased. It is both convenient to share secrets that cannot be disclosed to anyone and suitable for using as a counseling outlet during difficult or frustrating times, as it provides answers to any question posed.
Research has been published showing that conversational AI chatbots are effective in alleviating loneliness and social anxiety. The Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology recently utilized the AI chatbot 'Iruda 2.0' to recruit over 180 participants for an experiment, where they interacted with the chatbot at least three times a week for four weeks. Afterward, the participants' levels of loneliness and social anxiety were measured using standardized survey tools. Results indicated that regular interactions with the chatbot reduced loneliness scores by an average of 15% and social anxiety scores by an average of 18%.
Professor Im Myung-ho from the Department of Psychological Therapy at Dankook University noted, 'In a time of economic and social difficulties, young people facing an uncertain future can achieve emotional catharsis by consulting fortunes through AI, which guarantees anonymity.' He added, 'However, one must be cautious not to become too immersed and adopt a deterministic viewpoint, where they might believe ChatGPT's predictions will always come true.'