Grandmother donates ChatGPT-picked Powerball jackpot to Navy relief, dementia research

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A Virginia grandmother who used ChatGPT to help pick her Powerball numbers struck it big - and then donated it all to charity.

Carrie Edwards, of Midlothian, matched four of the first five numbers plus the Powerball in the Sept. 8 drawing, winning $50,000. But because she purchased the Power Play option, her prize tripled to $150,000, according to the Virginia Lottery.

Edwards said she knew instantly what she wanted to do with the unexpected windfall.

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"I knew I needed to give it all away, because I've been so blessed, and I want this to be an example of how other people, when they're blessed, can bless other people," she said during a news conference.

Her first donation went to the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD), which supports research, education and family resources for those affected by the early-onset dementia. 

Edwards' late husband, Steve, a firefighter and father, died from the disease. She said she wanted the gift to shine a light on other families fighting frontotemporal degeneration and the researchers working toward a cure for it. Her donation coincided with World FTD Awareness Week, which took place from Sept. 21-27.

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"This cause is deeply personal," Edwards, a retired PR executive, said.

Edwards also gave to Shalom Farms, a nonprofit farm and food justice organization in Richmond that distributes over 400,000 servings of fresh produce annually.

"Her gift will ensure that families throughout Richmond continue to have access to high-quality, affordable fresh produce," Anna Ibrahim, executive director of Shalom Farms, said in a statement.

Her third contribution went to the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS), which provides financial, educational and emergency assistance to active-duty service members, veterans and their families.

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The gift honored her father, Capt. Peter Swanson, a Navy fighter pilot remembered for his "life of service and generosity." "He and his wife instilled in their children the importance of giving back, making giving to NMCRS a family tradition," the group wrote in a Facebook post. "Now, with Carrie's extraordinary gift, the Swanson family's commitment grows even stronger - ensuring Sailors, Marines, and their families receive the vital support they deserve," it continued.

Edwards said the three organizations, which she works closely with, represent healing, service and community for her. "Shalom Farms heals through food and soil, AFTD brings hope through research, and Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society carries forward the tradition of supporting military families in times of need," she said.

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"All of us at the Lottery are delighted to see this prize being shared with worthy causes, due to the wonderful generosity of Carrie Edwards," said Khalid Jones, executive director of the Virginia Lottery.

Lottery profits go toward supporting K-12 public education in the Commonwealth, Jones noted.

At the news conference, Edwards revealed that she turned to artificial intelligence for help picking her numbers. "I'm like, 'Hey, ChatGPT, talk to me … Do you have numbers for me?'" she recalled.

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It responded that it's all about luck, but Edwards went for it anyway. "Two days go by, and I'm sitting in a meeting and I look at my phone, and it says, 'Please collect your lottery winnings,'" she said.

She thought it was a scam until she logged into her online account at home. 

Edwards, who said she doesn't play lotto often, had bought her ticket online for the first time, using the Virginia Lottery's mobile app. "I feel blessed that this unexpected lottery win could serve a greater purpose," she said.