Shaquille O'Neal Offered To Play Basketball Against AI

The athlete expressed a willingness to face off against an AI robot as he promoted NordVPN's security products.

Updated on Oct. 8, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence

Bold vector editorial illustration of a geometric shield protecting a basketball from jagged digital shards, representing robust cybersecurity against AI threats. — Shaquille O'Neal is promoting new cybersecurity software to help consumers protect sensitive financial information from increasingly sophisticated AI-driven online scams. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Shaquille O'Neal has stated he is open to competing against an AI robot in a basketball game. The retired star discussed the challenge while promoting NordVPN's software in Times Square.

Why it matters

The comments come as security companies race to address risks from agentic AI models that gain access to sensitive user data, such as bank accounts. O'Neal, who has faced unauthorized credit card use, is highlighting the need for better protection against AI-driven scams.

NordVPN is currently engineering a new product designed to secure users against emerging threats from agentic AI. These systems function by gaining access to user bank accounts, necessitating advanced cybersecurity protocols to prevent unauthorized financial activity.

The players

Shaquille O'Neal

He is a retired professional basketball player who now serves as a brand ambassador for NordVPN and has previously invested in companies like Google, Lyft, and Edsoma.

NordVPN

It is a cybersecurity company developing products to mitigate risks associated with artificial intelligence and online threats.

Marijus Briedis

He serves as the chief technology officer of NordVPN and oversees the company's development of AI-agent protection.

The details

O'Neal, who previously partnered with Carvana to unveil an AI shopping assistant named Shaqbot, is now working with NordVPN to address threats from AI-powered online scams. The athlete notably performed a demonstration by blocking basketball shots from volunteers on a makeshift court in New York City.

Shaquille O'Neal spoke to Gizmodo on Wednesday.
Online safety concerns regarding agentic AI increased over the past few months.

The Tech Race

O'Neal's hypothetical challenge reflects the growing intersection of high-performance athletics and the rapid advancements showcased at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing. This shift mirrors a broader industry trajectory where physical human dominance is increasingly tested by autonomous mechanical systems.

As companies like NordVPN develop new tools, consumers should prepare for the integration of AI-agent protection software into their daily digital security suites. Users must remain vigilant regarding AI-powered scams that specifically target banking credentials and personal financial information.

The takeaway

As AI agents gain increased access to financial accounts, cybersecurity awareness has become as critical for the average user as it is for high-profile investors. Implementing protective software is becoming a necessary step to safeguard personal assets from increasingly sophisticated online scams.