I Asked ChatGPT What My Life Will Be Like In 10 Years & Its Response Freaked Me Out

The views expressed in this Opinion article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.

ChatGPT is as tempting as the Magic 8 Ball was to me as a kid. I would ask it question after question and often be left more confused than ever.

The difference is that the AI model is a lot smarter, and so often spits out some chill-inducing responses. I recently asked ChatGPT what my life will be like in a decade after providing some basic information about myself now — and sh*t got real.

I posed the question: "I'm 25 years old and live in Canada. I work as a journalist for Narcity, enjoy nature, travel, writing, and spending time with friends. Where do you think I'll be in 10 years?"

I also asked some follow-up questions to the AI tool and honestly, it all freaked me out.

While it did say that "as an AI language model," it doesn't "have the ability to predict the future with certainty, [but] can provide some possible scenarios" based on the info I gave it.

The lack of actual psychic abilities aside, it was interesting to hear about some possibilities and what AI thinks the world will be like in a decade.

Overall, it was surreal and unnerving to have this potential future laid out in front of me.

My career

On the positive side of things, ChatGPT seems to have some confidence in me.

"In 10 years, you may have further developed your skills as a journalist and possibly taken on more senior roles within your organization or in other media outlets. You may have also written a book or other forms of creative writing, and have gained recognition in your field," it said.

It also predicted that I might get more education, or maybe make a career switch into public relations or marketing. These are pretty obvious possibilities, but it's a strange feeling to have AI predict my future nevertheless.

Climate Change

After a few follow-up questions, I asked the AI what issues it thought I'll be dealing with in 10 years as a Canadian. Climate change was at the top of that list.

"Canada is already experiencing the effects of climate change, including more frequent and severe natural disasters such as wildfires, floods, and storms," it said.

"In the coming years, Canadians may have to continue to deal with the consequences of a changing climate and take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to changing conditions," the AI added.

Obviously, the reality of climate change is upon us already, but ChatGPT's prediction sent a shiver down my spine. The way things are going, thinking about the future world isn't exactly fun — but it is necessary.

ChatGPT also listed other concerns such as social issues, economic shifts, demographic changes, and (ironically) technological advancements.

Travel

AI thinks that more travel will be in my future! "Given your interest in nature and travel, it's possible that you may have travelled to many new places, possibly reporting on various stories and experiences along the way," it said.

I asked ChatGPT where it thinks I'll travel to and it listed Banff, Iceland, New Zealand, Costa Rica, Norway, and Japan.

I'm pretty content with the list, but again, it was just a bit strange seeing my life laid out like this — down to the places I might visit.