'Hi ChatGPT, Tell Me My Future!' Is AI Now Replacing Astrologers?

Pooja (name changed for privacy) recently consulted a highly acclaimed and hard-to-access astrologer, paying a premium to get just one question answered about when her work worries will end. She was told

sometime in April things will settle or she will find a new opportunity. A few weeks later, after ChatGPT helped her fine-tune her CV, she decided to experiment further. She entered her name, date and time of birth and asked the AI when her professional life would improve.To her shock, ChatGPT pretty much said the same thing as the astrologer - from April things would begin to improve and new opportunities would open up. Since then, she’s been turning to ChatGPT for not just her own kundli-related questions, but those of her family as well. April, of course, will be the real test of accuracy. But the fact that the AI’s response mirrored that of a leading astrologer has raised an intriguing question: are people beginning to replace astrologers with ChatGPT?

And mind you, Pooja is not alone. A lot of people are turning to AI for therapy, for guidance and now also for astrological predictions. Astrologer Meera Mahajan urges caution. "ChatGPT or astrology apps only give general predictions." She explains that astrology, unlike algorithms, blends science with artistic and spiritual intuition. “Astrology is not always about fixed outcomes. One plus one can be two or eleven, depending on the stars. Apps make random predictions. For one person, it may say 1+1 is 11, for another it will say 2. A learned astrologer knows exactly when which interpretation applies.”She draws a parallel with medicine. “It’s like being unwell and asking ChatGPT to interpret your symptoms and reports instead of consulting a doctor. You will get a response, but it will be a general diagnosis. A doctor, on the other hand, reads the reports in context of the patient. Every person is different, so the outcome and inference will naturally be more precise.”

Why Predictions Feel Personal: The Barnum/Forer Effect

Let's admit it - many of us are guilty of watching our sun sign predictions and instantly forwarding them to friends. Lines like 'Virgos observe everything and quietly scan you enough to know who you really are' or 'Scorpios never truly forgive, they may move on, but they never forget' feel so eerily accurate that we want others to know what’s being said about us.Astrologer Meera Mahajan shares how it's similar to how years ago people read Linda Goodman’s books. "Whichever rashi you read, it felt like it was written for you. Cancer, Gemini, Leo everything seems relatable,” she says.There’s actually a psychological reason why predictions feel so personal. It’s called the Barnum or Forer Effect. Simply put, we tend to see broad, general statements as being tailormade for us. Lines like 'you are at a turning point,' 'you have more potential than you realise,' or 'change is coming soon' could apply to almost anyone, especially when life feels uncertain. But when we are anxious about our careers, relationships or the future, our minds latch on to what resonates and quietly ignore what doesn’t. The result? A prediction that feels less like a guess and more like someone looking straight into our lives and saying exactly what we needed to hear.Just as an experiment, I entered two different names along with their dates of birth, birth cities and timings on ChatGPT and asked the same question: How will my business do this year? While the overall predictions varied slightly, what really caught my attention was how it framed the 'biggest strengths' and 'biggest blind spots' for each profile.For Pratap Singh, the strengths listed were big-picture thinking, a calculated risk appetite, the ability to reinvent oneself and strong persuasion and communication skills. The blind spots included taking on too much at once, underestimating operational complexity, and staying too long in situations that have emotionally ended.For Rajesh Sharma, the strengths were communication and persuasion, networking, quick decision-making and the ability to pivot when markets change. The blind spots: starting too many things at once, getting bored once the initial excitement fades, and relying too heavily on verbal promises.

Look closely and a pattern emerges. The language changes, but the themes don’t. Both profiles emphasise ambition, adaptability communication skills and risk-taking traits that are broadly desirable in any business context. Similarly, the blind spots mirror each other: doing too much at once, losing interest over time and struggling with follow-ups. These are common entrepreneurial anxieties, framed in a way that feels specific but remains safely universal.This is where the Barnum/Forer Effect quietly does its work. The predictions are crafted to sound personalised yet they are broad enough for most people especially those running or aspiring to run a business to nod along in recognition. The result isn’t necessarily deception, but a carefully balanced mix of familiarity and reassurance, where almost anyone can see themselves reflected in the outcome.In the end, neither ChatGPT nor astrologers may be the point. What’s clear is that in times of doubt about careers, relationships or the future we look for narratives that help us organise our chaos. Some turn to stars, others to screens. The source may change, but the need to feel guided remains the same. Because in uncertain times, any guidance that helps us steady the boat is worth holding on to.