CBS Sports drew significant criticism from NFL fans on Sunday after incorporating an artificial intelligence tool, ChatGPT, into its sideline reports during the opening week of the season.
The integration, which featured an on-screen graphic that read "ChatGPT Sideline Report," occurred during the New York Jets' matchup against the Tennessee Titans. The network presented an injury update under the AI tool's sponsorship, a move that quickly ignited a firestorm on social media.
Fans took to platforms like X, formerly Twitter, to voice their bewilderment and frustration. Comments ranged from "Nah why is ChatGPT presenting my sideline report? I don't need ai generated sports reporting now" to stronger exclamations of "I wanna puke" and "We are cooked."
This controversy emerges months after the family of Gabriella Perpétuo, the girlfriend allegedly murdered by former NFL player Darron Lee, called for OpenAI to be held accountable. Prosecutors claim Lee used ChatGPT in an attempt to conceal the crime, allegedly inquiring about how to seek medical help without involving the police and whether certain injuries could be attributed to a fall.
Lee faces a potential death penalty in connection with Perpétuo's death in February. An autopsy report detailed multiple blunt force injuries as the cause of death. Police bodycam footage has shown Lee suggesting Perpétuo may have fallen in the shower. The Daily Mail has reached out to OpenAI for comment on the matter.