Major League Soccer publishes AI-generated match summaries without human review

Major League Soccer has quietly launched AI-generated match summaries that are published without human editorial review, sparking widespread criticism from fans and sports journalists. The automated recaps, clearly labeled as “Created by MLS Generative AI,” represent a cost-cutting measure that critics argue undermines authentic sports journalism and threatens writing jobs in the industry.

What you should know: MLS published at least two AI-generated match summaries on Saturday night, with disclaimers noting the content “has not been reviewed by editorial staff.”

• The league published recaps for Inter Miami CF versus Atlanta United (9:34 p.m. Eastern) and Orlando City SC versus the Vancouver Whitecaps (9:43 p.m. Eastern) within 10 minutes of each other.
• A third recap from LA Galaxy versus FC Dallas appears to have been taken down after initially appearing in Google search results.
• Each article includes a feedback form, suggesting MLS anticipates potential errors in the AI-generated content.

Fan and industry reaction: The move has drawn sharp criticism from soccer communities and journalism professionals who view it as a threat to authentic sports coverage.

• Reddit users called the AI summaries “gross,” with one critic noting “the fact [that] it wasn’t even reviewed by a person before being published is mad.”
• Soccer journalist Tom Bogart criticized the decision, stating: “This sucks. A lot. I know from my own experience doing it—it is NOT expensive to pay humans to do this. I got invaluable development working there. As did countless others.”
• One commenter described the content as “AI-produced garbage” that is “simply unacceptable and a disservice to soccer writers everywhere.”

Quality concerns: The AI-generated content shows noticeable writing issues that highlight the limitations of automated sports journalism.

• The Vancouver-Orlando article begins with the awkward phrase “Orlando started brightly,” demonstrating the stilted nature of the AI writing.
• The lack of human editorial oversight means these quality issues go uncorrected before publication.

Broader AI integration: This move is part of MLS’s larger strategy to incorporate artificial intelligence across its operations.

• The league updated its MLS app in February to feature more personalized, AI-generated content using large language models.
• In July, MLS hosted a technology showcase featuring eight sports-focused AI companies that capture game metrics and provide multilingual match dubbing.
• The league states it is “redefining the intersection of sports and technology by actively piloting innovations that are transforming fan engagement, athlete performance, match officiating, and content production.”

Industry precedent: MLS joins other sports media organizations that have faced backlash for AI content implementation.

• Sports Illustrated laid off nearly its entire editorial staff in January 2024 following accusations that it was publishing AI-generated articles without proper disclosure.
• The controversy highlights growing tensions between cost-cutting measures and maintaining editorial quality in sports journalism.