AI Sportswire Issue 14

Where sports meets AI innovation. Your ultimate source for AI news, tools and products shaping the sports and fitness industries.

As editor of AI Sportswire, I've immersed myself in the world of AI tools specifically for our industry. I've witnessed firsthand how these technologies can transform race organizations and sports brands. From marketing to participant communications, AI can cut your workload in half while improving results.

I'd love to hear about your business challenges and coach you on some practical AI solutions that could help. Book a free 30-minute discovery call and let's talk about how AI can streamline your operations - no strings attached

This week, we explore the latest advancements in AI, from major player movements to innovations revolutionizing the sports and fitness industry. Let's dive in!

Quick Takes:

  • Survey reveals over 50% of US adults now use AI language models

  • OpenAI plans specialized AI "agents" with premium pricing

  • Meta and SoftBank make major AI infrastructure investments

  • New AI-powered tools to boost productivity

  • A prompt to write LinkedIn posts tying in personal experiences with business

  • AI transforms sports with stadium chatbots and personalized fitness platforms

Support us by forwarding to a friend or subscribing here.

AI News Bytes

52% of U.S. adults now use AI language models like ChatGPT and Claude, according to an Elon University survey. Hispanic adults (66%) and Black adults (57%) use these tools at higher rates than White adults (47%). The study also found 65% of users have had spoken conversations with LLMs, and 49% think the models are smarter than themselves.

OpenAI is reportedly planning to charge up to $20,000 monthly for specialized AI "agents", according to The Information. The company will offer tiers including a $2,000/month "knowledge worker" agent, a $10,000/month developer agent, and a $20,000/month "PhD-level research" agent. SoftBank has reportedly committed $3 billion to these agent products this year.

On a related note, SoftBank will acquire a former Sharp LCD plant in Japan for $676 million to use as a data center for the AI agents it plans to jointly develop with OpenAI. The site was chosen for its sufficient long-term electricity supply.

Google's Gemini now personalizes responses based on your search history. The feature, powered by Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking, references recent searches when providing recommendations. Google is also letting all users create personal AI assistants called "Gems" for free.

Manus, a new AI agent from China's Butterfly Effect, performs tasks typically done by workers. Developed using Claude and Alibaba's Qwen, it can plan trips, find homes, and analyze financials in seconds with the slogan "Leave it to Manus."

Meta is testing an in-house AI training chip to reduce Nvidia dependency and lower costs. The chip is part of Meta's MTIA series, produced by Taiwan Semiconductor. If successful, it could weaken Nvidia's AI hardware dominance.

🧰 Tools and Tips

  • Check out a demo of Manus, the new AI agent platform, and get on the wait list here.

  • Zyler AI turns Google Analytics data into actionable marketing insights through an intuitive, AI-driven platform.

  • Superwhisper is an AI-powered app that provides real-time, offline voice-to-text transcription and summarization for meetings, interviews, and personal notes.

  • Glasp is a social PDF & Web highlighter that allows you to collect, organize, and share insightful ideas from the web.

Prompt of the Day

Prompt: Transforming a Personal Experience into a Business Insight for a LinkedIn Post

Your task:
Take the following blog post and extract a powerful lesson that applies to your personal experience and business/entrepreneurship. Write a compelling LinkedIn-style post that is:

✅ Personal & Story-Driven – Begin with an engaging, first-person anecdote that hooks the reader.
✅ Business-Tied – Clearly connect the running lesson to a larger business insight or leadership principle.
✅ Engagement-Oriented – End with a thought-provoking question or call to action to encourage discussion.
✅ Hashtag-Optimized – Include 3-5 relevant hashtags to boost reach.
✅ Visual-Ready – Suggest a compelling image idea that complements the post.

Example Input:
"Here is a blog post about trying the run-walk method at a marathon and learning the value of strategic breaks: [Insert post]"

Example Output:

🔥 Title: The Power of Strategic Pauses—How the Run-Walk Method Changed My Perspective on Racing and Business

I used to think slowing down was a sign of weakness. In running. In business. In life.

But then, I tried the run-walk method at a major marathon. And the results surprised me.

For years, I believed endurance meant grinding non-stop—whether that was in a 26.2-mile race or while scaling my business. I pushed through fatigue, ignored breaks, and equated stopping with failure.

But at the Dallas Marathon, I did something different. Every mile, I took a planned 30- to 60-second walk break. Hundreds of runners surged past me. My instincts screamed at me to keep pace. But I stuck to the plan.

And you know what?

🔥 I felt stronger in the later miles than ever before.
🔥 I shaved 11 minutes off my previous marathon time.
🔥 I crossed the finish line feeling energized, not depleted.

That’s when it hit me:

Success—whether in racing or business—isn’t about constant motion. It’s about strategic momentum.

💡 The Business Lesson: The most successful entrepreneurs aren’t the ones who sprint 24/7. They take intentional breaks, analyze progress, and adjust their pace when needed.

➡️ Walk breaks in running = Strategic resets in business.
➡️ Steady effort over time beats burnout-driven hustle.
➡️ Short pauses can help you go further, faster.

Think about it: Jeff Galloway, an Olympian and run-walk pioneer, ran his fastest marathon (2:16) using this method. Sometimes, slowing down is the fastest way to reach your goal.

🚀 Are you constantly running on empty in your business?
Maybe it’s time to implement strategic pauses—delegate, reassess, take a break.

I’d love to hear from fellow entrepreneurs and race directors:
How do you incorporate “walk breaks” in your business or events to sustain long-term success? Drop a comment below! ⬇️

#Entrepreneurship #MarathonMindset #BusinessGrowth #RaceDirectors #RunningLife

📸 Suggested Image:
A side-by-side comparison of two marathon finishers—one collapsed from exhaustion, the other crossing the line strong and smiling.

AI in Sports and Fitness

The New England Patriots are introducing an AI-driven chatbot to enhance game day experiences at Gillette Stadium. The chatbot will provide concessions and navigation information through an app launching next year.

Echelon Intelligence, a new AI-powered fitness platform from Echelon Fitness and AWS, delivers personalized workouts across treadmills, bikes, rowers, and strength platforms. Unlike single-equipment AI solutions, it offers a complete fitness ecosystem, with early testing showing a potential 7% increase in member retention.

A Tel Aviv University study using AI to analyze Reddit posts found appearance (23.9%) is the top exercise motivator, ahead of physical health (18.9%) and mental health (16.9%). The research also revealed that creating workout habits (30%) was the most successful adherence strategy, followed by setting goals (13.9%).

OxeFit, a Plano-based company with investors including Wayne Gretzky and Dak Prescott, has developed AI-powered fitness equipment. Their XS1 home system and XP1 commercial unit combine multiple workout types with digital feedback.

AI Art

Image of the day with the prompt: Bear photo bombing picture of backpacker

Send us your AI image here for next week’s issue using the prompt: Surfboard art

What did you think of today's newsletter?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

Support us by forwarding to a friend or subscribing here.