Digital transformation: artificial intelligence and employment anxiety of prospective sports managers

Background Digital transformation, a rapidly growing phenomenon in today’s business world, has brought profound changes across various sectors. In the field of sports management, its impacts are particularly significant, influencing prospective sports managers’ concerns about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and employment. To strengthen the theoretical grounding, recent research indicates that AI-driven automation is reshaping job roles, required competencies, and career expectations in sports-related professions. It is argued that sports management students are compelled to reshape both their professional skills and their job-seeking processes due to technological advancements in a digitalized world. In this context, the study aims to examine the concerns of prospective sports managers regarding AI and employment in the digital transformation era and provide practical recommendations. Methods The research was conducted using a relational survey model. The study sample comprised of 210 individuals aged between 18 and 39 (Mean Age = 21.18), selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected using a personal information form prepared by the researchers, the “Artificial Intelligence Anxiety Scale,” and the “Employment Anxiety Scale for Sports Sciences Students.” Data analysis was performed using SPSS 24.0 software. Independent samples t-tests were used to assess differences, and Pearson correlation analysis was applied to determine relationships between variables. Effect sizes and assumption checks were also considered to strengthen interpretability (Cohen’s d, η 2 ). Results The findings revealed a significant difference in the mean scores for the “AI Configuration” sub-dimension of the AI Anxiety Scale based on gender. However, no significant differences were determined in the sub-dimensions of “Learning,” “Job Replacement,” and “Sociotechnical Blindness,” nor in the total scores of the Employment Anxiety Scale for Sports Sciences Students. Similarly, no significant differences were determined in the total scores and sub-dimensions of the AI Anxiety Scale or the total scores of the Employment Anxiety Scale based on age (ANOVA results). Income level, however, significantly affected the Employment Anxiety Scale scores, though no significant differences were observed for the total and sub-dimension scores of the AI Anxiety Scale. Conclusion To alleviate employment anxiety among prospective sports managers, career counseling services and increased internship and job opportunities can be implemented. Economic support programs, such as scholarships and internship stipends, could help reduce insecurity among students from lower-income backgrounds. Furthermore, AI training programs may mitigate technological anxieties, enhancing students’ confidence in adapting to the digital transformation of their field.