UFC Doubles Down on AI Promos: “We will continue to use AI” Despite Backlash
The UFC’s use of AI in promotional content remains a point of tension with part of its fan base, and Craig Borsari’s latest comments make clear the company has no plans to move away from it. In his interview with Jake Arier, the UFC chief content officer defended AI as a production tool and framed it as part of the company’s push to keep changing how it presents events.
UFC pushes back on AI backlash: “Not a substitute for content creation”
Fan criticism has picked up in 2026 as AI-made or AI-assisted UFC promos circulated during the promotion’s new Paramount+ era, including ads that drew backlash online for looking cheap or unfinished. Dana White dismissed that criticism in March, telling reporters he did not care if fans were upset about the company using AI in promotional material.
Borsari took a more measured approach than White, but the message was similar. Asked about recent UFC promos that used AI, including material tied to the BMF title fight and the White House event, Borsari said the technology gives production teams new options in storytelling rather than replacing the people behind the final product. Speaking with Jake Arier on Against the Cage, he explained:
“The way we look at AI is not a substitute for content creation, but rather a way to amplify it. It’s no different than using maybe a green screen. I mean it’s a technique and technology that is evolving at a credible rate. If we’re not pushing the envelope and looking for different ways to do things and storytelling, our jobs. The last thing I want my team to be is stagnant and play on our heels and play it safe.”
Borsari also pushed back on the idea that the UFC is handing the creative process over to prompts and pressing publish. He said editors and producers are still shaping the final work, with AI being used during the production process rather than acting as a full replacement for human decision-making.
“We’re still relatively in the early stages of AI. It isn’t just to put in some prompts and take the end product of whatever spit out and move on. Our editors, our producers are using it as a tool to create content. We will continue to use AI and other technology to try to create content in a way that we weren’t able to in the past.”
That explanation arrives at a time when the UFC is facing two separate reactions to its promo strategy. Some fans see AI as a cheap shortcut, especially when official ads look rough compared with more polished traditional packages, while the promotion sees it as part of a larger shift in technology across sports media. Reports on the backlash noted that AI-based UFC ads often spread through fan reposts and criticism online, while more traditional hype videos continued to earn praise on official channels.
Borsari’s comments suggest the UFC will keep moving in that direction. He said the company is also exploring advances in audio, resolution, and other production tools, with AI fitting into a larger plan to change how content is made and presented.
The UFC White House event, branded UFC Freedom 250, is scheduled for June 14 on the South Lawn and is set to feature Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje for the lightweight title and Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title, along with Sean O’Malley vs. Aiemann Zahabi, Mauricio Ruffy vs. Michael Chandler, Bo Nickal vs. Kyle Daukaus, Diego Lopes vs. Steve Garcia, and Josh Hokit vs. Derrick Lewis. The promotion has also planned a fan viewing setup on the Ellipse, with free tickets distributed through a lottery system, making the weekend a larger public event rather than a standard fight-night setup.
