In today’s world, there’s hardly anyone unfamiliar with the term Artificial Intelligence, or better known as AI. Be it education, entertainment, healthcare, or business, its implications across nearly every industry have grown over time, with the world of sports being no exception. Of course, when one thinks of AI being utilized in sports, it’s often seen as a tool for analysis or performance enhancement. But who would have thought it could simply be used to help a soccer team win games? Well, Seattle Reign coach Laura Harvey has spilled some beans on how she used AI during her team’s remarkable qualification for the NWSL playoffs.

A coach of a team may be the boss and make all the decisions, but sometimes even leaders need a bit of genuine advice. Such was the case with Harvey, who, despite being a genius in her league, felt the need for some additional assistance. And what better way to get it than in a world where AI is rapidly taking over? Genius or not, Laura Harvey revealed that she asked ChatGPT questions like, “What’s our identity?” and even, “What formation beats NWSL teams?” and for both, the answer was, “Play a back five.”

And the results speak for themselves, as the team managed to climb from 13th to 5th, all with a little help from AI, also helping them cement their place in the NWSL playoffs bracket. “I put into ChatGPT, ‘What formation should you play to beat NWSL teams?’” said Harvey, as compiled by DAZN Women’s Football. “It went, ‘You should play a back five.’ So I did. No joke — that’s why I did it. It worked. We won the game.”

Now that the cat’s out of the bag, one shall take a look at their 2025 regular NWSL season. Having kicked off their campaign with a draw, the first ten matches saw Seattle Reign pick up not more than four victories, with the remaining four resulting in a defeat and two draws. In the mid-season, forget the top 8 as they were literally close to the last place. Until Laura Harvey decided to make some changes and help the team climb back to at least the top 5.

Of course, the majority of the credit goes to the players and staff for their hard work. But who would have thought that part of it would come down to just a couple of questions asked on ChatGPT? In a time when AI has created a sense of uncertainty across several job sectors, here is Laura Harvey using it the way it’s meant to be. While it was indeed a smart move from the former WSL manager, the biggest question now is whether she’ll be able to replicate the same success in the NWSL playoffs.

Can Seattle Reign pull up in the NWSL playoffs?

Of course, going an extra mile to help her side finish 5th in the National Women’s Soccer League with a tally of 39 points [10W, 9D, 7L] was done for a much bigger reason: the NWSL playoffs. The upcoming weekend sees all the qualified top 8 teams locking horns against each other to vie for the prestigious NWSL Championship.

As for Seattle Reign, they will be challenged by Orlando Pride this coming weekend in the quarter-final round. If they manage to win against Marta and Co., that will see them further move to the semifinals, where they will be facing the winner of KC Current vs NJ/NY Gotham FC. If Reign successfully passes these two tests, then, of course, they will reach the final.

That, again, won’t be an easy one. Washington Spirit faces Racing Louisville, while Portland Thorns take on San Diego Wave. The winners from these quarterfinal clashes will move on to the next round for a shot at the finals, set to take place on November 22. It will certainly be interesting to see how all the teams perform in this year’s NWSL playoffs.

As for Laura Harvey, we wouldn’t be surprised if she turns to ChatGPT once again to find out how she can ace the NWSL playoffs.