The Sixers’ reliance on computers for personnel decisions explains their tumultuous season.
Throughout Philadelphia 76ers history, there have been many memorable AIs, from Allen Iverson to Andre Iguodala, and even Al Horford if one mistypes “I” instead of “l.” As the Sixers’ disastrous season comes to a close, general manager Daryl Morey has hinted at the most infamous AI in Philadelphia: Artificial Intelligence.
Currently sitting at 22-43, the injury-plagued Sixers are awaiting the end of their unfortunate campaign. At the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, Morey discussed his decision-making process. When asked by host Pablo Torre if he employs any AI Large Language Models (LLMs) in basketball decisions, Morey confirmed their integral role:
76ers president Daryl Morey says he asks A.I. for input when making team decisions.
“We absolutely use models as a vote in any decision.” pic.twitter.com/RaERlg1s7N
— Pablo Torre Finds Out (@pablofindsout) March 13, 2025
Initially, I misinterpreted Morey’s statement, thinking he was implying that Allen Iverson was consulting for the Sixers, which seemed promising. However, it became clear he meant relying on AI to assess players’ capabilities.
Morey clarifies that LLMs only contribute as an advisory tool, similar to a scout, and do not make final decisions. Their trustworthiness is continually evaluated based on their predictive accuracy. Even an analytical mind like Morey isn’t handing over complete control to AI—at least not yet.
This Sixers’ collapse makes more sense when viewed through the lens of AI. What do large language models do? They aggregate existing opinions and facts and then reproduce them, akin to a student lightly paraphrasing an online article for homework.
Imagine the Sixers’ roster being crafted by asking, “Are Andre Drummond and Eric Gordon still effective players?” to ChatGPT. Naturally, the AI would deduce they are respectable role players based on historical performance. It would likely endorse max contract extensions for Paul George and Joel Embiid based on past achievements while overlooking potential future issues, as it lacks the ability to predict with certainty. Ultimately, the poorly constructed roster could serve as a testament to AI’s current limitations in sports analysis.
Regrettably, just as with AI’s potential societal impacts, it will be the Sixers fans who bear the brunt of the consequences—not individuals like Morey who delegate responsibilities to machines, resulting in a subpar product.
