A2: After 5 matchdays, the Artificial Intelligence has changed its mind: Here’s who it predicts will make it directly to Serie A and who will be relegated

We once again asked Artificial Intelligence (Chat GPT Plus) for clarification after a league start that was full of surprises—including some negative ones. Here’s how it responded.

Serie A2 is beginning to find its balance. After five matchdays, three teams are leading the pack: Libertas Livorno, Pesaro, and Avellino, all still undefeated with ten points. Close behind are Fortitudo Bologna and Sebastiani Rieti, both with eight points. But the road to Serie A is still very long, and it’s by no means certain that the current balance of power will hold until the end of the season.

The rules provide for two promotions to the top division: one automatic spot, reserved for the team finishing first at the end of the regular season, and another through the playoffs. At the bottom of the standings, however, the last-place team will be directly relegated to Serie B Nazionale, while a second relegation spot will be decided in the playouts.

A month ago, AI saw things differently

Livorno in the lead, Pesaro second: the predictions for direct promotion

The clear favorite for first place is Libertas Livorno. The Tuscan team started the season with five straight wins, but more importantly, it sent a very clear message to its competitors by crushing Fortitudo Bologna 85-59 in the last round.

It was a significant victory, not only for the two points earned but also for the way it was achieved. If Livorno manages to maintain this consistency, it could very well have an edge over its direct rivals in the race for promotion.

Right behind them, we expect to see Pesaro, another team that started with five wins in as many games. The team from the Marche region seems to have what it takes to stay near the top of the standings, even if some hard-fought victories suggest that the battle for the top spot will be anything but easy.

A month ago, AI saw things differently

Fortitudo Bologna, meanwhile, sits in third place. The heavy setback in Livorno doesn’t erase the positive performance shown over the first four games. The blue-and-whites might pay a price in terms of consistency during the regular season, but they remain one of the most formidable teams in a playoff series.

Avellino could lose ground, while Rimini and Turin are poised to climb back up

The most surprising prediction concerns Avellino. Despite a perfect record in the first five games, the Irpini could finish in fourth place, behind Livorno, Pesaro, and Fortitudo. It’s still an important finish, however, one that would allow them to enter the postseason with realistic ambitions.

Fifth place goes to Rimini, a team poised for a steady climb up the standings. Their 84-67 road win against Sassari is an encouraging sign. We see Rieti right behind them, while Turin could finish seventh.

The Piedmontese, in particular, deserve attention: they’ve played one fewer game, and their early performance suggests room for improvement. Caserta, too—stuck on two points but with a game in hand—should not be judged solely by its current position. Its close losses to top-tier opponents suggest it could climb back into the play-in zone.

The final standings: all twenty teams according to Chat GPT Plus’s prediction

Here’s how the standings might look at the end of the 38 matchdays, with projected points:

This is, of course, a projection, not a standings table generated by a statistical model. However, the results from the first few matchdays already allow us to identify some potential contenders and the teams likely to struggle the most.

Fortitudo Bologna Set for the Playoffs, Juvi Cremona at Risk of Relegation

While Livorno is our favorite for direct promotion, the second team we envision celebrating its promotion to Serie A is Fortitudo Bologna. The team from Emilia could find the playoffs to be the ideal setting to realize its full potential, edging out the competition from Pesaro, Avellino, and Rimini.

The situation is quite different at the bottom of the standings, where Juvi Cremona currently appears to be the team in the most trouble. Five losses in the first five games and the recent 90-72 defeat against Urania Milano have made the Lombardy team’s start to the season particularly difficult.

A month ago, AI had a different take

Our prediction is that Cremona will finish in last place and be directly relegated to Serie B Nazionale. Through the playouts, however, it could be Cento that pays the highest price after a season of struggles.

Of course, the season has just begun, and it won’t take long for the situation to change dramatically. But if we had to take a stand today, here’s our prediction: Libertas Livorno will be promoted directly, Fortitudo Bologna will win the playoffs, Juvi Cremona will be relegated without a playoff, and Cento will be eliminated in the playouts.