I asked ChatGPT how to make new friends as an adult — these tips were surprisingly practical

(Image credit: Getty Images) July 30 is recognized globally as International Day of Friendship, a holiday meant to observe different cultures, promote peace and strengthen human solidarity.Now I’ll admit to not being the bestest of friends — I’m constantly called out for not calling anyone first and am prone to going ghost for a few weeks at a time. But when I do answer the phone, respond to a text or make a rare appearance at a major meetup, I take the time to catch up with my closest buddies as much as possible and make an effort to create long-lasting memories that get referenced during future hangouts.One conversation that comes up a lot when I talk to them is how hard it is to make new friends as an adult. Unless it’s someone they’ve met at work, some of them (including me) have a hard time being in the sorts of situations that help widen their social circle.With that dilemma in mind, I asked ChatGPT for counsel on the best methods to employ if I want to make new friends. Luckily, this digital advice session gave me a practical list of tips and a workable plan that will keep me busy for the next three months.Taking notes on how to meet new people in my late 30s (Image credit: Shutterstock)To kick this latest chatbot advice session off, I presented this prompt to ChatGPT: “Give me the seven best tips on how to make friends as an adult. For reference, I'm 38 years old and reside in New York City.”I also made mention of the hobbies and activities that matter the most to me, such as gaming, bowling, playing pool, attending live wrestling events, stuffing my face with Korean BBQ & Jamaican cuisine and indulging in otaku culture (anime lies at the heart of that last interest of mine).Before ChatGPT laid out its suggestions, it gave me an explanation of what it truly takes to meet new people, build those blossoming relationships and why living in a big city gives me an advantage when it comes to making new friends:Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.Making friends as an adult is less about charisma and more about repeated exposure, shared experiences, and taking initiative. That's actually good news, because those are things you can control. Since you're 38 and living in New York City, you have one huge advantage: there are almost endless opportunities to meet people who already share your interests. The challenge isn't finding people—it's turning acquaintances into actual friends.One of the tips that spoke to me and my good intentions the most was to start looking for my next regular activity instead of actively looking for friends. ChatGPT pointed out that most adult friendships take shape because people repeatedly run into each other in group settings. Instead of constantly asking myself, “Where can I meet new people and make new friends?”, I should be asking myself, “Where can I see the same people every week?”Based on my favorite pastimes, ChatGPT stated that the best group activities that can introduce me to new people who could become familiar faces worth befriending are weekly board game/video game nights, a bowling or pool league, local wrestling watch parties, fighting game tournaments, anime watch parties and food-based social groups.Two of the other pieces of practical advice from ChatGPT that caught my attention included:Say "yes" more often than feels comfortable: Introverts (and busy adults) naturally decline invitations because staying home feels easier. A useful rule to remember is “If you're at least 60% interested, go.” You don't have to stay all night. Even showing up for an hour can strengthen relationships. Momentum matters more than duration.Focus on creating "micro-friendships": You don't need a new best friend. You need someone new to grab lunch with, someone new to game with, someone new to go to a wrestling show with, someone new to watch anime with and someone new to travel with. These smaller friendships often overlap over time until you have a genuine social circle full of new faces. Trying to find “your people” all at once can feel overwhelming; building one connection at a time is more realistic.Coming up with a 90-day friendship plan (Image credit: Shutterstock)I followed up my first question by asking ChatGPT to supply me with a curated list of the best activities in New York City I should take part in and which places I should go to enjoy them in my quest for new friends.Since it already had a gauge on my personality, hobbies and interests, it set up a 90-day friendship plan for me that should keep me busy and outside a whole lot more once the summer begins winding down and hoodie season makes its return:Month 1 - August: Pop up at the AnimeNYC convention, participate in a gaming tournament at OS NYC and go attend a House of Glory wrestling show.Month 2 - September: Join the Better Off Bowling league, go to a New York Food Club meetup and hook up with the Uptown NYC Board Gamers.Month 3 - October: Head to New York Comic Con, jump into an event organized by the Anime Social Nexus and use this month to start a recurring meetup with your new friends.Bottom lineWith my new game plan in the back of my mind and a whole new outlook on what it takes to be more social & outgoing as an adult, I left my latest digital advisement session with ChatGPT feeling a bit more confident.I’ll be sure to keep its useful tips in mind when the time comes for me to meet like-minded people, keep up with them regularly and add them to my familiar batch of friends to see if they mesh well. Now’s the time to get out there and abide by the mantra of International Day of Friendship every day. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Subscribe to Tom's Guide on YouTube and follow us on TikTok.More from Tom’s GuideWhat is Kimi K3? Everything you need to know about the new ChatGPT rivalI use Google's AI to thrift for my big family — these are the 5 features that actually save me moneyI used the reverse psychology prompt with ChatGPT to break my bad habits — and it showed me how to stop sabotaging my own goals Elton Jones covers AI for Tom’s Guide, and tests all the latest models, from ChatGPT to Gemini to Claude to see which tools perform best — and how they can improve everyday productivity.He is also an experienced tech writer who has covered video games, mobile devices, headsets, and now artificial intelligence for over a decade. Since 2011, his work has appeared in publications including The Christian Post, Complex, TechRadar, Heavy, and ONE37pm, with a focus on clear, practical analysis.Today, Elton focuses on making AI more accessible by breaking down complex topics into useful, easy-to-understand insights for a wide range of readers.