Grandmother donates Powerball windfall to dementia research, Navy relief after using ChatGPT to pick numbers

A Virginia grandmother who used ChatGPT to help pick her Powerball numbers won $150,000 in the Sept. 8 drawing and donated the entire prize to charity, including dementia research, food access and military relief efforts.

Carrie Edwards of Midlothian matched four of the first five numbers plus the Powerball, and because she bought the Power Play option, her prize tripled from $50,000 to $150,000, the Virginia Lottery said. At a news conference, she said she knew immediately what she wanted to do with the windfall: give it away to help others. "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.

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 Swanson, 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. The donation coincided with World FTD Awareness Week, which ran Sept. 21–27.

She also gave to Shalom Farms, a Richmond nonprofit that distributes more than 400,000 servings of fresh produce annually, to ensure families have access to high-quality, affordable produce. "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. Edwards’ 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. The gift honored her father, Capt. Peter Swanson, a Navy fighter pilot remembered for his "life of service and generosity." NMCRS described the Swanson family’s giving tradition and noted that the donation extends that legacy, helping sailors, Marines and their families in times of need.

Edwards said the three organizations she chose—Shalom Farms, AFTD and NMCRS—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. Khalid Jones, executive director of the Virginia Lottery, added at the news conference that the lottery is pleased to see the prize going to worthy causes. "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." Edwards noted that she used artificial intelligence to help pick her numbers. "I’m like, ‘Hey, ChatGPT, talk to me … Do you have numbers for me?’" she said. The AI reportedly responded that it’s all about luck, but two days later she checked her online account and found she had winnings ready for collection.

The ticket was purchased online through the Virginia Lottery’s mobile app, and Edwards said she doesn’t play the lottery often. She added that the windfall’s timing felt fortuitous: the proceeds from the Virginia Lottery support K-12 public education in the Commonwealth, a point Jones reiterated.

Edwards said she initially doubted the message alert about winnings, thinking it might be a scam, until she logged into her Virginia Lottery account at home. She described the moment as surreal but life-affirming, and she emphasized that the donation is intended to serve as a model for generosity, especially for families dealing with health challenges. Deirdre Bardolf is a lifestyle writer with Fox News Digital.