Mark Shapiro Says WWE Is Using AI For Analytics Related To Storylines

Mark Shapiro noted in a recent internal town hall that WWE is using AI in analytics for their storylines. According to POST Wrestling, the TKO COO mentioned the matter during the TKO town hall call that took place on Monday. He noted that Nick Khan and Triple H are using AI to determine how and where certain stories and stars are “resonating” with fans.

“Nick Khan and Triple H are using AI for storylines with the WWE,” Shapiro said on the call. “What’s resonating? What superstars are resonating? In what pockets of the country are they resonating?”

He continued, “That helps us with, obviously, our content, our editorial, our creative, our mapping, our touring, and of course, maximizing revenue and getting our product out to the fans most in need of it.”

Shapiro also noted that the UFC uses AI for fighter rankings. TKO CFO Andrew Schleimer added that they have only run tests and pilots as of now, with everything still in early stages in terms of data and analytics on consumers, along with soime “minor uses” to enhance broadcasts.

It was reported in October that WWE creative has had access to AI tools for years, and was mostly used as a creative assistant for research such as finding when talent last competed against each other. Cyrus Kowsari was brought in to spearhead the use of AI, which creative believed was being used mostly for production elements as opposed to writing storylines.