Sports face AI 'slop' misinformation, study warns
January 17, 2026, 12:00 AM EST. A study by AI risk firm Alethea warns that AI-generated misinformation, dubbed 'AI slop,' is quickly outpacing traditional fake content in sports. The surge threatens teams, leagues, and fans as fabricated posts and quotes spread on social networks, eroding trust and opening the door to skewed advertising metrics and manipulated betting markets. Notable examples include fabricated quotes attributed to players Jason Kelce and George Kittle that neither said. Alethea says the problem stems from AI's ability to impersonate brands and produce convincing content at scale. The firm urges sports organizations to build cross-functional teams-communications, legal, security-and to educate fans to verify announcements through official channels. The report highlights risks to reputations and the politicisation of sport, calling for proactive digital safety measures.
