Arsene Wenger Responds to Arteta's AI Use With a Clear Warning

Legendary former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has responded to Mikel Arteta’s confirmation that the club is using artificial intelligence, acknowledging the technology's benefits while issuing a stark warning about the dangers of over-reliance.

Current Gunners boss Mikel Arteta recently admitted that AI is part of the league-leading club's internal work, calling it an "extremely powerful tool" for improving decision-making and accelerating analysis. The admission came after another manager, Laura Harvey of Seattle Reign, revealed she had used ChatGPT for tactical suggestions, sparking a wider debate on technology's role in football.


Wenger, speaking on the topic, agreed that AI has its place and can be a valuable asset for a manager.

"It can help to make better decisions," Wenger said. "AI has a fantastic quality, it can absorb millions of different situations and give you an answer in one second or a fraction of a second."

However, the three-time Premier League-winning manager, who is now FIFA's Chief of Global Football Development, cautioned that the ultimate authority must always remain with the human element in the dugout. He stressed that a manager's intuition and personality are irreplaceable.


"AI can say something and the personality of a coach can say that's wrong," Wenger explained.

His core message was a warning against letting data completely overtake human judgment.

"As long as the human being keeps control, authority and power to make the decision you can use any scientific tool," Wenger stated. "But what is happening and what is dangerous is if the science dominates the decisions."

Arteta himself appeared to echo this sentiment, stressing that AI must be used "without losing sensitivity and feeling and following instinct," especially when dealing with human players.

Wenger's comments serve as a reminder from one of the game's great innovators that as football embraces new technology, the intangible qualities of human leadership and instinct must not be lost.