ChatGPT thinks it knows what my next obsession will be — and after reading its explanation, I'm not entirely convinced it's wrong. In fact, it's a neat trick to try, and you might enjoy doing it with ChatGPT yourself by using the same prompt.

I asked the AI chatbot a simple question: "Based on everything you know about me, what hobby, interest, TV show, band, sport, or technology am I most likely to become obsessed with over the next six months?"

After clarifying with me that I wasn't referring to any professional interests and meant activities beyond work, ChatGPT came back with a somewhat surprisingly nuanced list. The top prediction was surprising: backyard astronomy.

"Of everything you've talked about, it has the highest future obsession potential," ChatGPT told me. "It combines learning, wonder, collecting, equipment, family memories, and a touch of childhood fascination. There's a telescope-shaped hole in your life that it will fill."

Astronomical fun

I have asked questions about telescopes, stargazing, and things to do with my son that do not involve staring at screens as part of other tests. Less obviously, I tend to prefer hobbies that reward curiosity and gradual improvement rather than immediate mastery. So it made sense.

And the AI was happy to lay out ideas for getting into the hobby, including local astronomy clubs and public observation nights, and of course, links to equipment to buy. What struck me most was that astronomy was not presented as a random recommendation. It emerged from a pattern. The prediction was less about stars and planets than about the kinds of activities that consistently grab my attention.

That same logic showed up elsewhere on the list. Board games landed near the top of ChatGPT's list, for instance. The reasoning was not so much because of discussions about playing board games specifically, but more because, according to the AI, I often look for activities suitable for Family outings and weekends, as well as screen-free entertainment.

Bird is the word

Not everything on the list made sense for my life, simply because ChatGPT doesn't know everything about my daily life. For example, I've discussed getting better at guitar with the AI, but haven't really said anything about my daily practice and current efforts. So, while guitar being on the list wasn't a crazy notion, it would have been more relevant a couple of years ago.

The appearance of birding on the list was much more unexpected, as I don't recall ever expressing an interest in birds with the AI. But ChatGPT explained that it stems from the same reasons it thinks I like astronomy as a hobby, mainly how they both require observation, patience, collecting knowledge, and becoming excited about things that look nearly identical at first. I'm not sure that it will be something I take up, but I can't deny the notion that it might be fun.

On the other hand, the AI could be wildly off about my potential interests. According to ChatGPT, I am "a strong candidate to become obsessed with the Grateful Dead." I have no problem with the band or its music, but it will never be a sound I choose to listen to independently. According to ChatGPT, the recommendation was more about the culture surrounding the music, its deep history and lore, the passionate fans, and the huge back catalog. But while I may like exploring complex and deep worlds of hobbies, it still has to be a subject I'm interested in. So, while I may start spending my nights looking at the stars, the soundtrack will have to be something else.