NFL legend Charles Woodson admits to using AI for his research… only to be humiliated by it on live TV
NFL icon-turned-broadcaster Charles Woodson has recalled the embarrassing moment he read out a false statistic on live TV after using ChatGPT for research.
Woodson, a nine-time Pro Bowler, four-time All-Pro and Super Bowl champion, is in his eighth season as a Fox Sports analyst after joining the network from rival ESPN in 2018.
Over the course of his legendary playing career, the Hall of Fame defensive back provided consistency over a remarkably long period, with his relentless drive helping him becoming one of few players to appear in a Pro Bowl in three different decades.
Yet unlike on the field, Woodson, 49, admits he recently let a lack of preparation affect his job as an analyst when he found out the hard way that AI isn’t always right.
‘This is the age of AI, and we use it for everything, he explained on Sunday’s Fox NFL Kickoff show. ‘The first week of the season, I went on ChatGPT and I just asked a simple question. I said, “How many games in the division did the Packers win last year?” And ChatGPT said they were 0-6 in the division.
NFL icon Charles Woodson has recalled providing a false statistic on TV after using ChatGPT
‘So I thought it was an easy enough question. I come up here and I say it with my chest, I’m talking about the Packers and I’m like, “They didn’t win a game in their division last year!”
‘As soon as I got on my Twitter (X), they said “Hey man, you know the Packers won one division game last year, they beat Chicago.” And I said, “Ahh man.”
‘So make sure if you’re using AI that you fact-check.’
‘You can’t trust AI,’ Woodson’s colleague Charissa Thompson added.
That uncharacteristic mistake would have dented the pride of one of the NFL’s most decorated players.
Across 18 seasons in the league with the Oakland Raiders and Green Bay Packers, Woodson produced the joint-highest career defensive touchdowns (13), the joint-second most interceptions returned for touchdowns (11) and joint-fifth most interceptions (65) while sweeping up numerous awards.
He was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1998 and Defensive Player of the Year some 11 years later, while he was eventually inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame after playing a key role in their 2010 Super Bowl triumph.
