On Oct. 15, Ferris State University athletics announced that they have entered into a three-year partnership with FanWord, which is an AI tool that generates content and assists with storytelling for college sports.
FanWord can assist in creating written content, game recaps, feature stories and player bios.
Athletics Director Rob Bentley explained that with so much sports content that needs coverage, the partnership should help with the efficiency of the marketing team.
“It’s a tool that will allow us to help speed up some of our content that we do,” Bentley said. “We have seven or eight teams all competing at the same time. It helps speed up the process of the research and writing side of it.”
Bentley further expressed that the new AI tool further helps with updating a player’s bio and uploading statistical data.
For example, the tool is helping to interpret statistics such as a team having a 10-game winning streak.
Bentley further explained that the partnership is about keeping up with the times and evolving as needed.
“You know, I think in this day and age, we have to keep up with what everyone else is doing. A lot of it is going the AI route, just like it is everywhere else.” Bentley said.
Following the press release announcing the partnership, Ferris has faced backlash on their behalf for implementing AI sports content.
Television, Design and Media Production senior Francie Hoffman expressed that the new AI may take away the chance for students to participate in learning experiences surrounding sports writing and the ability to showcase their creativity.
“I think it takes away from our critical thinking and our creativity. Instead of us coming up with these ideas, we’re just telling a robot how to do it,” Hoffman said. “I think we should try to push ourselves more in that sense.”
Hoffman further explained that she feels the tool endorses laziness and low-effort thinking amongst students.
Other students feel the tool is a disregard for the creative majors here at Ferris.
Television design and media production senior Adam Jewell explained that with programs like graphic design, journalism and sports communication, there should not be a need for this tool at the university.
“I feel like the introduction of generative AI is in its own way, disrespectful. It is telling the people in these programs, you don’t really have an actual purpose or career ahead of you,” Jewell said. “I feel like they’re trying to create a pipeline where the AI major will be doing athletic stuff instead of sports communication people. Basically replacing the sports communication majors.”
Jewell explained that in other fields, such as healthcare, where AI is not used in a generative way but rather as an assisting tool, it is acceptable.
He also expressed concern that Ferris is just another university hopping on the AI trend, taking away from creative programs offered at the university level.
Bentley explained that the implementation of FanWord is not meant to take opportunities away, but to lighten the load and promote efficiency.
“It’s kind of like using ChatGPT or something like that but there’s still a lot to account for in the process that you have to go back and adjust errors,” Bentley said. “I don’t think it takes away from anybody’s position or anything like that, it’s just another tool for us.”
Hoffman voiced further concern over job security and the loss of the human aspect behind content creation.
“We should be able to showcase students’ work and give them that opportunity, not some AI. Put them in a position where they can fail because they are learning,” Hoffman said. “I feel like there’s something AI can’t replicate and that’s the human aspect, of knowing that another human created this.”
At this time, it is unknown exactly how much the FanWord AI tool will be utilized by athletics regarding content creation itself.