How Reliable Data Defines the Next Phase of AI in Sport – Insights from Stats Perform

Artificial intelligence is no longer an experiment in sport. It is infrastructure. According to the 2026 Sports Fan Engagement, Monetisation and AI Trends Report by Stats Perform, 81 percent of sports media organisations increased their use of AI in the past year, confirming that automation has become mainstream.

Patrick Lucey, Chief Scientist at Stats Perform, has been part of this transformation from the start. Overseeing the company's AI strategy, he leads a team that turns what he calls "the deepest treasure trove of data in sport" into real-time intelligence used by clubs, broadcasters, and digital platforms worldwide.

In a conversation with FBIN, Lucey explained how the conversation around AI in sport is shifting from innovation to reliability, scale, and fan trust.