We asked AI chatbot ChatGPT what Lewisham will look like in 2050 and the images it generated were unexpectedly striking (and bizarre).
ChatGPT has been making waves in everything from education to design since 2022.
Using the platform’s image generation, we asked what key locations across Lewisham might look like in the year 2050.
The results show a borough that’s recognisably local but layered with futuristic touches that range from the plausible to the slightly surreal.
Here’s what ChatGPT showed us:
Lewisham High Street appears transformed into a clean, glass-heavy boulevard, where trees line walkways and autonomous vehicles glide past floating signage.
Monorails loop above street level, and towering, green-roofed buildings replace today’s more familiar facades.
Over at Beckenham Place Park, the AI imagines a serene balance between nature and technology.
People picnic beside a futuristic lake, while above them, sleek transport links hover silently across the sky.
The park’s wide lawns and mature trees remain intact, suggesting that even in 2050, green space is still a priority.
In Catford, the famous fibreglass cat hasn’t gone anywhere – it’s just had an upgrade.
One image features an oversized robotic version of the feline perched above a shopping centre that looks like it belongs in a sci-fi film.
Street-level life continues, though, with busy markets and a walkable centre.
Deptford Market is reimagined with a high-tech backdrop – glass towers and smart infrastructure – while the traditional stalls and sense of community remain.
There’s a sense of continuity here, even among the high-tech trappings.
Finally, New Cross Station gets a futuristic revamp, with a sprawling transport interchange, energy-efficient buildings, and skybridges connecting pedestrians to rooftop gardens.
But it’s still clearly New Cross – just with better lighting and far more glass.
The AI’s vision is speculative – and at times optimistic – but it highlights how urban development, climate goals, and transport infrastructure could evolve in the coming decades.
Whether or not we’ll see flying trains or giant cats with glowing eyes is anyone’s guess.
But if these images show anything, it’s that Lewisham’s future could be every bit as dynamic and diverse as its present.
