A woman from Virginia, USA, used ChatGPT to pick lottery numbers and unexpectedly won the Powerball draw on September 8, claiming RM720,000 (USD 150,000). Even more surprisingly, she decided to donate the entire prize to charity.
Carrie Edwards, a resident of Midlothian and not a regular lottery player, used the ChatGPT app to generate her numbers. She matched four of the first five numbers plus the Powerball. Her original prize was USD 50,000, but by spending an extra USD 1 for the Power Play option, her winnings tripled to USD 150,000, which is about RM720,000.
Two days later, Edwards received a notification on her phone about claiming the prize. At first, she thought it was a scam, but once she confirmed it was real, she was stunned. Instead of keeping the money, her first thought was to give it all away, saying, “God blessed me, so I can go bless others.”
Edwards announced she would donate the RM720,000 evenly across three charities connected to her life: Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD), Shalom Farms, and the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society. She lost her husband in 2024 to frontotemporal degeneration, making AFTD a meaningful choice. Shalom Farms provides 400,000 servings of natural produce annually, promoting food justice and community support. The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society donation honored her father’s longtime support for military families.
All three charities expressed gratitude, noting that the funds would be used for medical research, food equality, and supporting military families. A Virginia Lottery official added, “It’s rare for a winner to give back the entire prize like Edwards.”
Edwards said the unexpected windfall could “serve a greater purpose” and hoped her story would inspire others to share blessings. Her experience shows that AI-generated luck can not only change personal fortunes but also make a real difference for others.
