It was a throwaway comment on Phil Gould’s Six Tackles with Gus podcast that first raised eyebrows among rugby league insiders.

During a recent episode, the Canterbury general manager of football mentioned how artificial intelligence was being used “for everything” at the club, before discussing how AI could fundamentally shake up rugby league as we know it.

When pressed for details about the Bulldogs’ AI implementation, Gould casually disclosed that the Bulldogs had developed a customised AI system through chairman Adam Driussi’s company, Quantium.

“He’s actually modified a version of AI for the Bulldogs,” Gould explained. “Our coaches use it, our staff use it, our marketing and administrative team use it.”

The revelation came as Gould demonstrated the AI capabilities in real time, quickly highlighting how deeply embedded AI has become in the club’s daily operations. Describing the technology as “absolutely extraordinary”, Gould explained how the club had uploaded “our whole constitution, we’ve put all our salary cap, we’ve put all our contracts, we’ve put all our employment contracts, all our administration” into their AI system.

Further investigation reveals the club is indeed leveraging cutting-edge AI technology across multiple facets of its operations, though those involved are understandably protective of any details that might provide competitive advantages.

The Bulldogs have embraced artificial intelligence - and it may be having an impact on the field.Credit: Monique Westerman

Driussi was reluctant to share too many details, but confirmed that the club was using AI across various aspects of operations.

“We’re applying AI capabilities to help us work more efficiently across different areas of the club,” Driussi says. “It’s about using technology to support better decision-making, whether that’s in football operations, commercial activities, or administrative functions.”

Pressed on specifics, Driussi was diplomatically vague: “We’re exploring multiple AI applications, but competitive advantage comes from execution, not just ideas. The technology........

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