We asked AI to predict the NFL season last year. Here's how bad it went

Turns out, the robots don't have all the answers.

The robots, like humans, can't see the future and tell us what is going to happen before it does. Even as the robot rebellion seemingly inches closer with each passing day thanks to the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), there are still some safe spaces left to hide.

One of them might just be in the world of NFL predictions.

Prior to the 2025 NFL season, we asked for some input from Google's Gemini about how the upcoming campaign would play out. We kept it fairly simple with record predictions that would paint a picture of the standings. We also kept that going with weekly picks from Microsoft's Copilot as an opportunity to see how well it tracked the ebbs and flows of a season.

2026 NFL RECORD

PREDICTIONS: AI makes win-loss picks for all 32 teams

Copilot fared much better in that regard, posting a 177-94-1 record in the regular season and a 12-1 mark in the postseason.

With that in mind, maybe the takeaway is to ask for information in the moment. At least for the time being, the old-fashioned way of asking a human might be the best course of action for long-term NFL predictions, stock tips and other advice.

As the 2026 NFL season kickoff approaches, here's a look back at how AI did with it's 2025 season predictions.

AI predicts the 2025 NFL season, revisited

What AI got right

Gemini managed to correctly predict the record for just four of the league's 32 teams. If percentages are your thing, that is just 12.5% of the time – a hit rate that is far from inspiring.

The Buffalo Bills (12-5), Cleveland Browns (5-12), Philadelphia Eagles (11-6) and San Francisco 49ers (12-5) were the only teams to post the same record that the chatbot predicted before the season.

Did it get any division winners right?

One isn't just the loneliest number. It's also the number of division winners that Gemini got right from its preseason predictions in 2025.

The Eagles, at 11-6, were the NFC East champions in 2025 – even though the year was far from magical in Philadelphia. However, the competition, or lack thereof, in the division made the difference.

If moral victories are your thing, four of Gemini's predicted division champions finished as the second-place team so it's not all bad.

The Washington Commanders

Gemini was adamant about one thing prior to the 2025 season – the Commanders weren't going to have a good year. It was a break from the consensus about Dan Quinn's upstart bunch, led by the rookie of the year, Jayden Daniels. Injuries certainly didn't help Washington's outlook, but the chatbot was focused instead on the offseason moves.

The Commanders went all-in, but they went all-in on older veterans. Gemini said that the team could struggle to integrate those pieces, something that came to fruition almost instantly.

Washington finished with a 5-12 record, one less win than Gemini predicted during the offseason.

What AI got wrong

Well, everything else. Let's break it down.

What was AI's biggest miss?

Easy. The Seattle Seahawks.

Gemini predicted that the eventual Super Bowl champions would win just seven games and finish last in the NFC West. It's hard to fault the chatbot, however. The Seahawks weren't considered a contender heading into the season. They also weren't even considered a true contender until later in the season.

Seattle became an overnight juggernaut, despite "losing" some key pieces in trades ahead of the 2025 campaign. Turns out, the decision to trust Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba was a good one. Mike Macdonald's team went on to win 14 games and blazed through the playoffs without really breaking a sweat along the way.

What were some of the other misses?

Gemini was off by four or more games nine times. The chatbot underestimated the Patriots by five wins, Jaguars by four wins, Broncos by five wins and Seahawks by seven wins. It overestimated the Jets by four wins, Bengals by four wins, Chiefs by six wins, Giants by four wins and Cardinals by five wins.

AI's full predictions for 2025 NFL season

Here's the full list of Gemini's predictions for the standings in the 2025 NFL season, compared to each team's actual record and where they finished in the division.

AFC East

1. Buffalo Bills: 12-5 | 12-5 (2nd)
2. New England Patriots: 9-8 | 14-3 (1st)
3. Miami Dolphins: 8-9 | 7-10 (3rd)
4. New York Jets: 7-10 | 3-14 (4th)

AFC North

1. Baltimore Ravens: 11-6 | 9-8 (2nd)
2. Cincinnati Bengals: 10-7 | 6-11 (3rd)
3. Pittsburgh Steelers: 9-8 | 10-7 (1st)
4. Cleveland Browns: 5-12 | 5-12 (4th)

AFC South

1. Houston Texans: 11-6 | 12-5 (2nd)
2. Jacksonville Jaguars: 9-8 | 13-4 (1st)
3. Indianapolis Colts: 7-10 | 8-9 (3rd)
4. Tennessee Titans: 4-13 | 3-14 (4th)

AFC West

1. Kansas City Chiefs: 12-5 | 6-11 (3rd)
2. Los Angeles Chargers: 10-7 | 11-6 (2nd)
3. Denver Broncos: 9-8 | 14-3 (1st)
4. Las Vegas Raiders: 6-11 | 3-14 (4th)

NFC East

1. Philadelphia Eagles: 11-6 | 11-6 (1st)
2. Dallas Cowboys: 10-7 | 7-9-1 (2nd)
3. New York Giants: 8-9 | 4-13 (4th)
4. Washington Commanders: 6-11 | 5-12 (3rd)

NFC North

1. Green Bay Packers: 11-6 | 9-7-1 (2nd)
2. Detroit Lions: 10-7 | 9-8 (4th)
3. Chicago Bears: 9-8 | 11-6 (1st)
4. Minnesota Vikings: 7-10 | 9-8 (3rd)

NFC South

1. Atlanta Falcons: 10-7 | 8-9 (3rd)
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 9-8 | 8-9 (2nd)
3. Carolina Panthers: 7-10 | 8-9 (1st)
4. New Orleans Saints: 4-13 | 6-11 (4th)

NFC West

1. San Francisco 49ers: 12-5 | 12-5 (3rd)
2. Los Angeles Rams: 10-7 | 12-5 (2nd)
3. Arizona Cardinals: 8-9 | 3-14 (4th)
4. Seattle Seahawks: 7-10 | 14-3 (1st)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: We asked AI to predict the NFL season last year. Here's how bad it went