Whether astrology is real or not is, of course, up for debate-but Guler believes it’s the wrong question to ask. “We applaud all projects that further astrology in a way that creates meaning and self-acceptance for people,” she says. Though Edut, who writes horoscopes with twin sister Tali for their site Astrostyle along with several other websites, says nothing can beat going to see a real astrologer for a one-on-one session, she appreciates apps like Co-Star for making astrology more accessible to the masses. One day, after a painful breakup earlier this summer, I was consoled by the message: “Your attention is a gift.” Another post-breakup message read: “You are not responsible for anyone else’s behavior or shortcomings.” When I was denied a job I naively thought I had secured, I received this humbling message: “Silence your ego.” Whether it was real or not, I had something that could give meaning to the chaos around me. Just a daily synopsis that often seems to align with whatever you’re going through in that specific moment. No bold claims that the person you were dating was your soulmate.

It became clear that the app talked to and connected users in a way that felt more real. Earlier this year, I signed up for Co-Star, curious to see what a few of my friends were raving about. Daily prayer or weekly services are not my idea of spiritual guidance. I’m an Aquarian-and every bit as independent and noncommittal as my sign suggests. I’ll admit I was intrigued by the new fad for horoscopes. She then partnered with two of her coworkers at the fashion label and content hub VFiles, Anna Kopp and Ben Weitzman, to launch the app in October 2017.

Guler, a 31-year-old Texan turned New Yorker, first came up with the idea for the app after she gifted a pregnant friend an astrological chart for her baby that became a surprise hit among her friends. Though the company is just two years old, it has already garnered 5.3 million users around the world and secured more than $6 million in investment. Its sleek design is easy to use, and its forecasts have been accurate-and entertaining-enough to get the app a cult following. If she were to tweet out her definition of this ancient pursuit, it would read: “Astrology is a 2,500-year-old tool that gives people a language to talk about their lives.”Ĭo-Star, the artificial intelligence–driven app that generates your astrological chart based on the exact time, date, and place of your birth, provides its users daily horoscopes and lets them compare their charts to those of their friends (whether they’re on the app or not). Banu Guler is a Scorpio-more specifically, she is a Scorpio sun, Cancer rising, and Leo moon-but her vision of astrology isn’t confined to celestial charts and mysticism.

Jorja smith birth chart