The Championship season has once again been filled with intrigue at both ends of the table, with the campaign’s finale quickly approaching.

The early months of a new calendar year are frequently critical in determining the fortunes of several second-tier clubs, particularly those vying for Premier League football.

The fight for promotion has taken a few turns in recent weeks, as teams that were thought to be in such a position have began to gain momentum, while others continue to defy the odds.

The play-off race is also heating up, laying the groundwork for a thrilling season finale, with over ten teams separated by only a few points heading into the final weeks.

The Championship has long been regarded as one of the most difficult competitions to predict in international football, with numerous surprises and storylines emerging over the 46-game regular season and beyond.

Football League World has tested this, however, to see if the AI-based chatbot, ChatGPT, can correctly predict the three sides that will be promoted to the elite level of English football automatically or via the play-off route, as well as the others who will suffer heartbreak as a result.

Champions: Coventry City.

Despite a dramatic drop in recent weeks, AI expects Coventry City will end their 25-year absence from the Premier League at the end of the season as Championship champions.

The Sky Blues’ upward trajectory after so many years of uncertainty has been well-documented, and the computer predicts ‘third time lucky’ for the West Midlands club following two previous play-off defeats in the last three years.

However, some at the CBS Arena may challenge AI’s current projection, with Frank Lampard’s team only winning four of their past 13 league games, resulting in a big advantage at the top of the table that has well and fully evaporated in recent weeks.

Such concerns were heightened last weekend when City were held to a goalless draw by 23rd-placed Oxford United, ahead of a critical match against Middlesbrough on Monday, February 16th, in front of Sky Sports cameras.

Middlesbrough received automatic promotion.

Middlesbrough, ten years after their last Premier League promotion, is expected to finish second to Coventry.

The Teesside club has had a successful season, but one fraught with upheaval since Kim Hellberg replaced Rob Edwards at the Riverside Stadium in November.

However, the computer predicts that people in the North East will be laughing the loudest and switching places with their previous boss in the pyramid, as Wolverhampton Wanderers remain at the bottom of the top-flight table.

Hellberg’s side has been the division’s best team in recent weeks, responding to a lull of four games without a win or a goal at the start of the year with a run of remarkable results and performances, with goals coming from all sides.

The Swede has undoubtedly gotten the most out of creative talents like Hayden Hackney and Morgan Whittaker, and the two are likely to continue to have a significant impact on whether the Reds return to the top flight in May.

Ipswich Town won the play-offs.

After leapfrogging Hull City into third place on goal difference last weekend, AI believes Ipswich Town will remain at the top of the play-off standings and will return to the Premier League at the first opportunity via the postseason lottery.

Town performed miracles to be promoted automatically two years ago despite competing against three relegated Premier League sides, but this season, the shoe has been on the other foot, with many tipping the Suffolk side to win the title before a single ball was kicked.

Kieran McKenna’s side has had an up-and-down season in many ways, but they have rekindled their strong mentality in recent weeks to be back in the conversation for automatic promotion, and their squad depth is certainly concerning Coventry fans in particular.

However, AI feels they will have to settle for a play-off spot, predicting a close-fought play-off final against Sergej Jakirovic’s Hull on May 23rd at Wembley Stadium after defeating big-spending Wrexham in the semi-finals over two legs.