People Are Using ChatGPT to Help Them Achieve Their 'Dream Life'

Could AI-powered tools help you manifest your dream life?

A burgeoning trend has emerged on social media, where people are turning to ChatGPT to manifest the ideal version of their lives.

Several TikTok and Instagram users have shared how they are leveraging the capabilities of ChatGPT to visualize and manifest their future goals, each to thousands of views.

By inputting detailed accounts of their dream lives, they ask ChatGPT to weave the details into compelling narratives, which they then read and reread to vividly imagine and bring those dreams into reality.

Manifestation, though not a new concept, has found a fresh application in the digital age. The practice has long been seen as a tool to getting one aligned with the mental state of having a dream life.

As a self-improvement practice, it has taken on many forms in the ever-evolving cultural zeitgeist, notably in the law of attraction and the law of assumption—with the latter reaching new heights of popularity by frequently trending on TikTok.

While it was for some time laughed off by many as a zany approach to self care that has little scientific basis, more people have come forward to speak about the tangible benefits of positive thinking, tailored affirmations and creative visualizations.

One notable figure in the manifestation community, Mimi Bouchard, the founder of Superhuman—a self-improvement platform for mindful meditation and manifestation—has long advocated the transformative power of visualization.

"Manifestation is the powerful act of aligning your energy, thoughts, beliefs, actions and self-image with your deepest desires," Bouchard, 28, told Newsweek. "It's about shifting your internal state to attract what you want into your life, so your reality will end up mirroring the life you envision."

The practice involves aligning thoughts, beliefs and actions with one's deepest desires to bring those desires into fruition.

Visualization—a key component of manifestation—entails immersing oneself in the feelings, thoughts and experiences of a desired future to make it feel attainable and real.

This technique has been embraced by various self-improvement advocates and is now seeing a boom online thanks to AI technologies.

Harnessing AI for Visualization

The trend online sees users detailing their aspirations—be it career achievements, personal growth, or lifestyle changes—and requesting ChatGPT to craft a narrative of their ideal day. These stories are then used as a tool to vividly imagine living that dream life, thus reinforcing their manifestation practice.

"Writing or scripting out your ideal day can quickly put you into the energy and mindset of your ideal 'future self,' making it feel real and achievable," said Bouchard, who is known online as @mimibouchard.

The Canadian entrepreneur champions the potency of visualization, and has tailored a section of her platform, called Writing Activations, to helping subscribers carve out their dream life.

"I have also been using ChatGPT more and more, as a way to make my life easier when it comes to simple, mundane tasks," Isla Stanich, who is known online as @isla.stanich, told Newsweek. "When I started seeing posts on TikTok, which spoke about how it can be used for personal development, I decided to ask what my dream day in a life would look like.

"I decided to film my reaction, then post the video online, because I felt like someone might benefit from it."

Stanich, a former television producer and journalist who is from Australia but now lives in London, says that the AI tool really helped her get to grips with what she wants to experience in her life, and begin bringing that future into existence.

"Artificial intelligence might seem scary on some fronts, but if it can be used to make you excited about your life and achieve your dreams, then I think we should really consider harnessing this resource to explore how [it] can improve our lives from a personal development point of view," she said. "I think that this trend is so powerful because it's allowing us to create a story that speaks about us in the first person.

"Which is manifestation in itself, we are speaking our desired realities into existence, by visualizing exactly what we want."

The Psychology Behind Manifestation

Visualization and manifestation are grounded in psychological principles that suggest our mental images and beliefs significantly influence our external reality. The concept hinges on the idea that consistently visualizing one's goals can create a mental map that guides behavior and decisions towards achieving those goals—or becoming the version of yourself that has those goals.

Repeated visualization helps to rewire the brain, fostering a self-image aligned with one's aspirations.

Bouchard, who divides her time between the U.K. and the Bahamas, has dedicated her career to helping individuals harness these powerful tools.

"Visualization is incredibly effective because it immerses you in the feelings, thoughts and experiences of your desired future," she said. "The more you connect with that vision, the faster it becomes your reality."

The integration of AI-powered tools like ChatGPT into manifestation practices represents a significant evolution in how people approach self-improvement. This method not only makes the practice more affordable and accessible, but also offers a personalized experience tailored to the unique aspirations of each individual.

Last year's average cost for a therapy session in the U.S. ranged from around $100 to $200, making it unaffordable for many, especially young adults and teenagers. AI tools, on the other hand, are often free or cheap and available 24/7, providing an attractive alternative.

For those looking to harness the power of their imagination, tools like ChatGPT provide a novel and effective means to script their future and help turn dreams into reality.

Newsweek reached out to @somachhayabhatia, whose TikTok post has been embedded, for more information via the platform.

Update, 11/13/2024 at 09:00 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional comment from Isla Stanich.