I am the opposite of a skeptic when it comes to astrology.
I know my astrology sign (Leo), and I check my Co-Star app each morning, which delivers personalized astrology readings, like “Today is not a good day to have difficult conversations.”
Let's just say I am on-board when it comes to the belief that the stars can predict our behaviors, patterns, and beliefs.
And, after listening to We Can Do Hard Thing's "Astrology: Your Sign’s Secrets with Heidi Rose Robbins" episode, I became obsessed with finding an astrologist who could tell me more about my sun, moon, and rising signs. (But, admittedly, not so obsessed that I am willing to shell out hundreds of dollars. My astrology dreams do have a budget limit.)
So I was thrilled when I learned that someone created a Astrology Birth Chart GPT, available in OpenAI's new custom GPT store. I mean, what could be better than finding out my moon sign for free?
Keep reading if you're as intrigued as I am by AI and astrology – and whether the two concepts are better together, or best kept separate.
Let's Start with My Birth Chart
For starters, I provided the Astrology GPT with my birthdate, where I was born, and what time I was born.
In return, it provided me with my birth chart reading – essentially, a snapshot of the sky and the motions and angles of the planets — at the moment I was born, which enables astrologists to extrapolate my characteristics, behaviors, and motivations.
(I can literally feel my boyfriend rolling his eyes at this. Classic Aries.)
And I'll admit – I was pleasantly surprised with the truthfulness of the response. A couple highlights:
- You have a strong, vibrant personality with a flair for creativity and self-expression. I'm a writer for a living, so … check.
- You may have a strong memory, especially for emotional events. I can still recall the first time I felt regret (after choosing a lion over an elephant stuffed animal at a toy store) … sorry to my parents, but yes. Check.
- You have a diligent, meticulous approach to tackling tasks. You are thorough in your work, perhaps sometimes a bit perfectionistic. I have a brand new, color-coded 2024 To-Do list sitting beside me, and I spent my Sunday night outlining my tasks for the following week, so … yep.
- Learning to embrace the unconventional or addressing subconscious fears can be a significant part of your life's journey. We don‘t need to get too into this one, but let’s just say it hit home.
Of course, I can hear a skeptic now: "This is all generalized commentary that could apply to anyone!"
But I‘m not so sure. When I searched for my boyfriend’s birth chart, I found his own attributes matched up more strongly with him, and didn't resemble mine, at all.
And, as the GPT mentions at the bottom of its response, these are general interpretations and missing some key factors that a real-life astrologist would be able to pull up.
In other words: For a free tool, it's pretty darn close.
What else could I find out?
After that, I was stumped. I don't know quite enough about the astrology world to even know what to ask next. So I asked it what types of questions I could ask, and this is its response:
Great! Lots of options here. I decided to pursue the specific planetary influences – and in particular, “What your Mars sign says about your energy and drive” – next.
What My Mars Sign Says About My Energy & Drive
While plenty of this was accurate – including my attention to detail, practicality, and perfectionism – some of it was a little off-base.
For instance, “you might prefer to deal with conflicts in a more analytical and less emotional way” is the exact opposite of how I deal with conflict. (Plenty of emotion, trust me.)
All in all, though, it was largely true, so I'll give it to ya, GPT.
What Are My Suitable Career Paths?
Next, I asked it what types of careers would be best based off my birth chart reading.
While this could be a good question for recent grads who are considering various career paths, I‘ll admit – the GPT provided me with a long list of career paths, and some of them didn’t make much sense with what I know about myself.
(Accountant? I barely passed high school math. And I very much dislike anything to do with numbers.)
Plus, it was just so random. The GPT told me I could be well-suited for anything from law to education to fitness to real estate.
This is likely where some discernment is key.
Perhaps 80% of these are off-base, but by pursuing the list, I can pick out the three to four that make sense.
This leads me to my final point.
Does the GPT Believe It's Accurate?
Finally, I had to know – did it believe it was as accurate as a real-life astrologist?
In other words: Is this a suitable alternative to shelling out money for a human-to-human reading?
I respected its response. The GPT understood its limitations.
As the GPT responsed, “A real-life astrologer brings a human element to their readings … So, while I can offer astrological information and interpretations based on traditional rules, a real-life astrologer may provide a more personalized and nuanced reading.”
If you‘re seeking out personalized wisdom and guidance, this likely isn’t the place to find it.
But if you‘re like me, and just curious about what insights you might glean from more generalized information regarding astrological charts, I would give this a shot.
It’s certainly worth the fun exploration into your strengths, weaknesses, and why you behave the way you do.
