Clay Travis on AI Taking Over, Sydney Sweeney Backlash & LSU–Ole Miss

Clay Travis joins The Next Round for a wide-ranging conversation covering the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence, the controversy surrounding Sydney Sweeney’s new ad campaign, a massive LSU vs. Ole Miss showdown, Sam Leavitt’s status, and the changing landscape of college football television. The conversation begins with one of the biggest questions surrounding modern technology: Could artificial intelligence eventually become a legitimate threat to humanity? Clay explains why he remains more optimistic than many AI skeptics, while discussing the enormous energy requirements behind AI data centers, the possibility of machines eventually surpassing human intelligence, slowing global population growth, and why the speed of AI development understandably makes people nervous. Clay also explains how he already uses tools such as Grok for sports research, including pulling college football statistics, rivalry history and betting information. From there, the discussion turns to some of the darker possibilities of advanced technology — including autonomous weapons and facial-recognition drones — before examining the potential benefits of self-driving vehicles and whether autonomous transportation could eventually reduce traffic deaths and allow older Americans to remain independent longer. Then the conversation shifts to Sydney Sweeney, whose provocative new “Just Sports” campaign has generated backlash from several female athletes. Clay discusses why controversy can become enormously valuable free publicity, the role attractiveness has historically played in advertising, and why he believes Sweeney has been smart about turning her celebrity into business opportunities. Sweeney is a strategic partner and equity holder in the company and also launched her own lingerie company, SYRN, earlier in 2026. Finally, it’s time for college football. Clay reacts to LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt being listed doubtful ahead of Saturday night’s Top-10 showdown between No. 7 LSU and No. 8 Ole Miss in Oxford. He gives his betting thoughts on the matchup, including his opinion on the point spread and game total, as Lane Kiffin returns to Ole Miss as LSU’s head coach. The guys also revisit the changing college football television landscape. Clay unloads on CBS’s decision not to renew its SEC package, comparing the network’s current Big Ten inventory with the marquee SEC games now airing across ABC and ESPN — and calls CBS moving away from the SEC one of the worst decisions in sports television history. From AI and autonomous technology to Sydney Sweeney, Novig, sports marketing, LSU football, Ole Miss football, Lane Kiffin, Sam Leavitt, SEC football, college football betting and media rights, this Clay Travis interview covers a little bit of everything. Subscribe to The Next Round for daily college football, SEC, NFL, sports media and entertainment coverage, interviews, analysis and reaction. #ClayTravis #TheNextRound #CollegeFootball #SEC #LSU #OleMiss #LaneKiffin #SamLeavitt #SydneySweeney #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #Novig #SECFootball #CollegeFootballPicks #SportsMedia SUBSCRIBE: @NextRoundLive - youtube.com/@nextroundlive @TNRClips - youtube.com/@TNRClips FOLLOW TNR ON SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/7zlofzLZht7dYxjNcBNpWN FOLLOW TNR ON APPLE PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-next-round/id1797862560 WEBSITE: https://nextroundlive.com/ MOBILE APP: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-next-round/id1580807480 SHOP THE NEXT ROUND STORE: https://nextround.store/ Like TNR on Facebook: / nextroundlive Follow TNR on Twitter: / nextroundlive Follow TNR on Instagram: / nextroundlive Follow everyone from the show on Twitter: Jim Dunaway: / jimdunaway Ryan Brown: / ryanbrownlive Lance Taylor: / thelancetaylor Scott Forester: / scottforestertv Tyler Johns: /TylerJohnsTNR Brooks Carter: /BrooksACarter Sponsor the show: sales@nextroundlive.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices