Jonathan Kraft announced a major addition to the Patriots roster Friday at the 19th Annual Sloan Sports Analytics Conference.

It was not a coveted multi-million-dollar free agent. Nor was there a major trade to bolster the Patriots’ offensive line or receiving corps.

The biggest off-season acquisition news for the Patriots – thus far – is an interactive, AI-driven chatbot under development that will aid fans at Gillette Stadium on Game Day.

Kraft, who serves as president of the Patriots, said the team hopes to have the chatbot in operation via its app next year.

No left tackle to prevent Drake Maye from getting mauled is on the horizon. But a chatbot that will provide information on concessions, navigation and other in-game related experiences is in the works.

Perhaps nothing better illustrates the world of sports in 2025 than that.

Mark Shapiro, CEO of Endeavor of TKO Sports (see WWE and UFC) and Kraft headlined a panel entitled “Sports in 2045: Ahead of the Curve” ostensibly to discuss what the wide world of sports might look like 20 years from now.

The 45-minute discussion remained focused on the world of sports in the here and now, in terms of business, fan engagement, sports around the world, and how AI has changed everything about the sports landscape.

Trying to match the in-game experience to what fans can enjoy at home has long been a challenge for all sports franchises. Not just the Patriots. Premium experiences are in high demand, both panelists said.

Kraft noted how Gillette Stadium was the first sports venue to have high-speed Wi-Fi available for fans some 15 years ago. Despite vocal opposition from Mark Cuban, who feared fans would have their faces in their phones and not on the field.

Enhancing the fan experience motivated the Kraft Family to spend $250 million on their monstrous video board in the north endzone.

This offseason, the Patriots have more than $127 million available in cap space. And team ownership was slammed for the second straight year on the NFLPA Players’ Report Card last week for poor facilities, food, and a team plane with ash trays but no Wi-Fi.

CNBC reporter Contessa Brewer, who served as moderator, asked if AI might someday replace coaching.

The quick answer from both Kraft and Shapiro was “no.”

Kraft noted that the NFL teams and players are not allowed to use technology on game day to aid players and coaches. That issue has long been a sore spot with the Patriots.

Bill Belichick was practicing in-game AI long before it was AI when it came to taping the opposing team’s signals. That mess led to the “SpyGate” scandal.

Where AI does prove immensely helpful with coaching is on the front end.

“AI is going to make coaches and good coaches better because it is going to give them time back,” Kraft said. “It will give coaches more time to focus on psychology.”

The NFL plans to use high-tech first down markers, but when it comes to gameplay, “it’s competition between players on the field and coaches trying to outthink each other. Player against player and coaches against coaches,” Kraft said.

Shapiro and Kraft differed on the impact of sports betting.

“The UFC and NFL are fueled by sports betting,” Shapiro said.

Kraft quickly interjected: “The NFL is not fueled by it. It is fueled by the players. But it is enhanced by it.

Both men agreed that sports betting will further become integrated within live broadcasts.

Kraft said he envisions a time in the future where viewers on a big screen will be asked if they are interested in betting on the game and then be directed to their sportsbook of choice and be offered live-in-game wagers that suit their established betting pattern.

“The issue is latency. Some of that is because of the FCC” Kraft said. “We have the data already.”

Kraft is a member of the TKO board. In addition to his role at TKO, Shapiro also runs Endeavor. That firm represents Stephen A. Smith, who just agreed to a $100 million deal with ESPN.

Kraft said his family has long supported having a women’s soccer team in the Boston area and backs the addition of a NWSL team here. The Kraft family owns the New England Revolution but has been unsuccessful thus far in getting a deal for that team to have its own stadium in or around Boston.

“You want to do justice to any team,” he said. “Until we have a venue, it would not be appropriate for us to have an NWSL team.”