IBM Granite puts generative AI to work for fantasy football users, offering more detailed reasoning around players' assigned waiver grades and trade grades

IBM and ESPN have unveiled enhancements to the ESPN Fantasy app, utilizing IBM's AI and data platform, watsonx, powered by generative AI technologies. These updates aim to provide a more personalized and engaging experience for over 12 million fantasy football users. New research commissioned by IBM and conducted by Morning Consult reveals that fantasy football enthusiasts are increasingly adopting AI to improve their rosters and overall experience.

• New Features Powered by IBM watsonx:

  • The app now includes "Top Contributing Factors" within the Waiver Grade and Trade Grade features, providing detailed reasoning behind a player's assigned grades.
  • These insights are generated by IBM’s Granite large language model, tailored to each team and powered by AI models built with IBM watsonx. The models analyze vast amounts of data, including player performance, expert articles, and the specific needs of each fantasy team owner.

• Benefits for Fantasy Football Users:

  • Personalized player grades based on the specific needs of each team.
  • Transparent explanations of AI-generated grades, helping users understand the reasoning behind player evaluations.
  • Predictions highlighting each player's potential upsides and downsides, enabling more strategic decisions.

• Enhanced Suite of Tools:

  • These updates complement other IBM watsonx-powered tools like Trade Analyzer and Player Insights, which convert large volumes of football data into actionable insights, helping ESPN Fantasy Football users make informed lineup decisions.

• Survey Insights on AI Adoption in Fantasy Football:

  • A survey by IBM and Morning Consult, involving 500 fantasy football users in the U.S., shows a high adoption rate of AI tools:
    • Nearly 90% of users regularly interact with at least one AI-related tool.
    • 82% utilize AI-generated trade and waiver suggestions to enhance their fantasy lineups.
    • Among users not currently using AI tools, 92% expressed that they would find AI beneficial in their fantasy football activities.

• IBM's Broader AI Vision:

  • According to Noah Syken, VP of Sports and Entertainment Partnerships at IBM, the enhancements bring watsonx-powered insights directly to fantasy football users, offering personalized, data-driven insights that meet their expectations.
  • The generative AI technologies employed in the ESPN Fantasy app are also used across various business sectors, turning complex data into actionable insights and modernizing workflows.

• Ongoing Collaboration Between IBM and ESPN:

  • The partnership between IBM and ESPN Fantasy Football is now in its eighth year, continually leveraging watsonx technologies to transform football data into valuable insights for fantasy team owners.
  • IBM’s Granite large language models and watsonx Code Assistant, which provides AI-generated coding recommendations, are among the advanced technologies used to enhance the app’s capabilities.
    
    

The latest enhancements to the ESPN Fantasy app, powered by IBM’s watsonx platform, mark a significant step forward in integrating AI into fantasy sports. By offering personalized player grades, transparent insights, and predictive analytics, the collaboration between IBM and ESPN continues to revolutionize the fantasy football experience. As more users embrace AI tools, these innovations underscore the potential of generative AI technologies to transform digital experiences in sports and beyond.