PHILADELPHIA, PA — A new survey commissioned by Qlik® reveals that artificial intelligence is playing an increasingly central role in how Americans manage their fantasy football teams—offering insights into broader patterns of trust and adoption of AI in professional settings.
The survey of 1,000 U.S. fantasy football players found that 72% of fans already rely on AI to guide roster decisions, and nearly a third would let the technology manage their teams entirely. Among players aged 35 to 44, willingness to hand over full control rises to 45%, highlighting a generational shift in comfort with automation.
Trust, Oversight, and Competitive Balance
While only 13% of respondents see AI use in fantasy football as cheating, 44% worry that widespread adoption will erase competitive advantages by leveling the playing field. This concern mirrors dynamics in the workplace, where access to AI tools is increasingly universal and competitive differentiation hinges on the quality of data and execution.
AI at Work vs. Play
Interestingly, 52% of respondents admitted to managing fantasy teams during work hours, but 42% said they feel more comfortable using AI in their jobs than in their leagues. This finding challenges the common assumption that personal technology adoption leads workplace behavior, suggesting that professional environments may provide stronger incentives and frameworks for AI trust.
Practical Uses Dominate
Fans are turning to AI primarily for structured, high-value decisions. Weekly lineup choices (20%), draft moves (19%), draft preparation (18%), and trade evaluations (16%) topped the list of uses. Only 9% said they use AI for creative purposes such as team names or trash talk, reinforcing that the technology is most trusted where outcomes are clear and repeatable.
Generational Divide
Younger and mid-career fans are more willing to let AI take the lead, while older players remain cautious. Just 12% of respondents over 55 would allow AI to run their team, compared to nearly half of those aged 35 to 44.
“Fantasy football may be a game, but it is also a low-risk, high-interest environment where people reveal how they will engage with AI in more serious contexts,” said Mike Capone, CEO of Qlik. He noted that in both fantasy sports and business, success depends less on simply having access to AI than on the ability to feed it quality data, interpret results, and act decisively.
As AI adoption accelerates, fantasy football may serve as a cultural barometer for how Americans balance trust, oversight, and competitive advantage—on the field and in the office.
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