4.21.2024

Numbers in the news + an AI Tarot prompt . . .

This is an observation, not a commentary! It just strikes me as interesting that the first-ever criminal trial of a former U.S. president begins on the 22nd day of the 4th month. Especially since most pundits assumed the actual start date would be at least another week away.

This co-incidence occurred to me because of the publicity surrounding Caitlin Clark’s draft selection, which highlighted her jersey number: 22. In fact—here we have country star Tim McGraw paying tribute to Clark’s popularity:

Of course I wondered about how this example of 22-ness came about, so I asked ChatGPT 3.5—and got a string of hallucinations. GPT 4 was even worse! For whatever reason, the Open AI bots are convinced that Clark selected the number 22 to honor a member of her family—and if you say “that’s wrong, try again” they just pick a different relative.

I really think there needs to be more discussion of AI hallucinations. Not just in the sense of warning people that answers can be wildly wrong, but also in terms of asking how/why a “logical” process takes off on its own adventure. And (as in this case) may refuse to come back.

It’s possible that AI irrationality will provide a way to study synchronicities, serendipities, and symbolic dimensions in a radically new way. In fact, I’m pretty sure that’s true. In the meantime though—we still need bots who can be objective! And Google’s Gemini Plus came through with flying colors on the Caitlin/22 challenge:

For the sake of time, I’m switching abruptly to a more direct connection between AI and Tarot. If you’ve explored ways of using AI, you might know that “prompt chains” link together a series of instructions to produce a desired output. And they are fairly simple to make—so of course there are chains that will produce Tarot readings.

Here’s a chain if you want to try it out. Just click this link, copy the prompt, and paste it into either version of ChatGPT:

I used ChatGPT 3.5, since everyone has free access to that version, and here’s a formatted version of what the AI cards had in store for me:

You may be wondering whether the “reading” is just an Open AI hallucination—and if so, whether that would make it more or less valid/significant.

Since there’s no way of comparing one bot against another in the fortune-telling challenge, I can’t tell you which one did the “best” job. But the Gemini reading was a bit weightier.

ChatGPT 4 seemed to focus on balance:

I put some further notes in a P.S. below. And if you play with the prompt chain yourself, let us all know what you learn!

In the meantime, I have one other note about what’s happening in the news. Since only Taylor Swift is getting more publicity these days than Caitlin Clark and Donald Trump, I (of course) Googled around for a Tarot connection. And (of course) you won’t be surprised that I found an unofficial Taylor Swift Tarot.

It’s rather charming, really—and you can read about it in Teen Vogue.

To put a bow on all this . . . yes, there is a Taylor Swift song titled 22. And yes, it was written for her 22nd birthday. The same year Caitlin Clark was 11.

Just sayin . . .

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More soon. And thanks for reading! C

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PS: I asked ChatGPT where its interpretations “came from,” and got this answer:

My interpretations are derived from common themes and traditional meanings assigned to each Tarot card, which have been established through centuries of Tarot history, practice, and symbolism. Each card in the Tarot deck, whether it's from the Major Arcana (22 cards that represent major life events or themes) or the Minor Arcana (56 cards that represent more day-to-day events and experiences), has certain meanings and interpretations based on imagery, symbols, and typical associations. Here's how I derive interpretations:

Historical Context: Tarot has a long history, dating back to the 15th century, with a rich tradition of symbolism and imagery. Over time, specific meanings have been assigned to each card, often influenced by various esoteric and mystical traditions, such as astrology, numerology, and the Kabbalah.

Card Symbols and Imagery: Each Tarot card contains specific symbols, figures, and scenes that suggest particular meanings. For example, The World card often depicts a figure surrounded by a wreath, signifying completion or wholeness, while The Moon card features imagery of mystery and intuition.

Traditional Interpretations: Many interpretations are based on the traditional meanings of the cards, which have been developed by Tarot practitioners and scholars over time. These interpretations reflect common themes, such as The World symbolizing fulfillment, The Moon indicating the subconscious, and the Seven of Pentacles suggesting patience and hard work.

Context and Combinations: When interpreting a Tarot card reading, I consider how the individual card meanings might interact or build on each other. This involves exploring how the themes of one card might influence or add context to the other cards drawn.

In summary, my interpretations are grounded in the established symbolism and meanings associated with Tarot cards, as well as a consideration of how these meanings can create a cohesive message when combined in a reading.