"Will 2026 Be a Good Year?"... Millennials and Gen Z Turn to AI for New Year's Fortunes

Expansion of AI Usage: From Fortune-Telling to New Year's Planning
High Accessibility and Immediacy as Key Strengths
Anonymity Also Drives Popularity

AP Yonhap News

With the arrival of the new year, an increasing number of people are checking their New Year's fortunes using artificial intelligence (AI). In the past, it was common to visit a fortune-teller in person or use paid astrology applications, but as it has become easy to check fortunes for free with AI, the user base has been expanding rapidly.

The Popularity of 'AI Saju'-Accessible Anytime, Anywhere

GPT Store 'Lifestyle' Category No.1 Tarot Fortune Service 'Fortune Master Tarot GPT'. Chat GPT Screen

Recently, a 30-year-old office worker surnamed Kim checked his New Year's fortune using ChatGPT. He said, "I want to change jobs this year, so I asked about my prospects for moving," adding, "I was told that this is a year with strong prospects for change, and that the best time for a job change is between January and March. Based on this advice, I'm planning to prepare for a new job early in the year." He continued, "I'm not someone who fully believes in astrology, but it helped me organize my thoughts and reflect on my current situation, which felt meaningful to me." He added, "I was also satisfied that I could keep asking questions about things I was curious about."

The process of interpreting saju (Korean fortune-telling) through ChatGPT is simple. Users enter their name, date of birth, gender, and other information, and receive comprehensive analyses covering personality, career prospects, financial luck, romantic prospects, and more. Additional questions can be asked to receive more specific advice. For example, when asked, "What should I be most careful about this year?" the answer might be, "Accumulated emotions and fatigue could lead to burnout or sudden abandonment, so it's important to take small actions rather than just enduring or postponing things."

The reason Millennials & Gen Z, who are adept at using generative AI, are enthusiastic about AI saju is its high accessibility and immediacy. AI saju can be used for free anytime and anywhere, and allows for personalized questions, setting it apart from visiting a fortune-teller in person. In particular, the guarantee of anonymity makes it easy to ask about concerns that may be difficult to share with others.

This trend is also linked to the challenging reality faced by young people. Amid an extreme job market crisis, they are using AI saju as a way to seek advice about an uncertain future. According to the "2025 Employment Trend Characteristics and 2026 Employment Outlook" report published by the Korea Employment Information Service, the number of employed youth aged 15 to 29 is expected to decrease by 213,000 this year, further worsening employment conditions.

As interest in AI saju grows, related search volumes are also increasing rapidly. According to data analysis platform Black Kiwi, as of the 6th of this month, the number of searches for "GPT saju" on Naver reached about 4,390, up 129.48% from the previous month. Black Kiwi predicts that by the end of this month, the expected search volume for GPT saju will reach about 18,800, a 46.80% increase from the previous month.

There are also reports that AI saju services are performing well within ChatGPT. In the GPT Store's Lifestyle category, "Fortune Master Tarot" ranked first, while other fortune-telling services such as "Fortune Master GPT" and "Saju Palja Myungrihak" were also among the top-ranked. The GPT Store is a platform that brings together customized GPT chatbots to assist with various tasks such as writing, drawing, and psychological counseling.

Making New Year's Plans with AI... Everyday Use of AI Becomes Routine

By entering your name and date of birth, you can receive various interpretations such as personality analysis. ChatGPT screen.

Among younger generations, not only are people using AI to check their fortunes for the new year, but many are also using it to make New Year's plans. After reviewing the flow of the year through fortune-telling, they use AI to flesh out their goals for the new year. For example, if they set "health" as a goal and enter their physical condition or lifestyle patterns, AI can provide step-by-step plans for exercise, diet, and daily routines tailored to the individual. The ability to turn abstract goals into actionable steps is receiving a positive response.

However, as the scope of use expands, there are concerns about accepting AI's advice uncritically. The Korea Press Foundation, in its report "Experiences and Perceptions of AI Anxiety Due to the Spread of Generative AI" published in September last year, stated, "AI has deeply penetrated all aspects of society worldwide in a short period since the public release of ChatGPT at the end of 2022." However, it also warned, "Factual errors in AI-generated answers are shaking the trust structure of information, and the risks of personal information breaches and commercial misuse pose threats to the protection of individual rights."

The report further emphasized, "To maximize the utility of AI while alleviating social anxieties, it is necessary to make multilayered efforts to enhance the reliability of AI-generated answers, strengthen personal information protection, and respond to changes in the labor market."