Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a trend that has been accelerating at a rapid pace for the past 10 years. What was once considered a futuristic pipe dream is now accessible from phones (the iPhone’s Siri) and will continue to be transformed so it can keep changing the way in which we see the world.
At the front of the AI competition is the US tech company IBM with their Watson project. Watson is a piece of artificial intelligence currently leading the wave of innovation, having grown to fame in 2011 through winning a game of Jeopardy against the world’s most renowned champions.
However, the use of Watson extends far beyond simply winning Jeopardy; instead, it’s become synonymous with innovation in health care and even sports. IBM’s European consultant Jeremy Waite recently sat down with SportsPro for an interview about how AI can change the world of sports, and it was quite enlightening.
In the interview, Waite said that one of the most important ways that IBM’s AI is changing the sports industry is being able to analyze data quicker than ever before. One of the staples of modern-day culture is the reluctance by many to give away their personal details to marketers, whether it be online or off. This makes it more difficult for marketers to make sure that the content gets to the people who want to see it, giving way to AI for analyzing the data.
This is most easily seen in highlight reels at tournaments such as Wimbledon—after analyzing the footage from any of the 18 different courts, the AI can figure out the highlights of any given match by focusing on facial expressions, ball speed, and the intensity of each volley.
Through this information, it can create a highlight film and distribute it all within a range of 15 minutes since the math ended. This high-speed way of documenting sports is then transmitted to the people who are eagerly watching, creating a stronger network of people engaging the games than ever. On top of this, many people now have more advanced ways to receive the information, whether it be through television, computer, or even receiving highlights texted directly to your phone.
The ways in which AI have affected sports are all positive, with the end result being a simplification of processes that used to be not as efficient or accessible. AI is paving the way for a different way to experience and document sports and we can’t wait to see the innovation continue!