AI is being deployed across all areas of sports to improve the game and the fan experience.
Just as 3D motion graphics, high-speed photography, and even holograms have permeated modern sports, the use of AI in sports is becoming more and more established. AI is being used more and more to enhance all areas of sports, from athletes to fans, coaches to referees and even judging competitions. AI’s ability to rapidly analyze large amounts of data, find patterns and outliers within that data, and make predictions in real time is proving its value in driving the advancement of sports at all levels.
Athlete Development
In the world of competitive sports, victory or defeat is often decided by the tiniest of margins – every second truly counts. From analyzing and enhancing performance with in-depth analytics, AI is providing highly personalized training plans and analyzing movements and opponents in real time. AI-driven innovation and insights are transforming athletics, changing and improving the way athletes train, perform, and recover.
AI can provide players and coaches with deeper insights into their individual performance as well as that of their team and opponents. AI can analyze each player’s performance based on a variety of factors, including speed, walking patterns, and endurance. Coaches and players can use this information to make customized suggestions for improvement. AI can also create hyper-personalized training plans for each player, helping to prevent injuries and enhance nutrition.
AI systems also provide game strategy recommendations. Through analysis of game footage and performance metrics, AI identifies patterns and trends invisible to the human eye and recommends the best approach to beat opponents. AI can also evaluate game play in real-time. AI acts as an augmented intelligence tool, helping coaches and players make strategic decisions during games and adjust plays and strategies.
Sports judges and judges are also using AI. This technology has enabled judges to make better decisions on the field. It has also made judges’ scores more accurate and fair. To give one example, gymnastics organizations around the world are applying AI technology to judging. The AI-assisted Judging Support System (JSS), developed by Fujitsu in collaboration with the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), uses high-resolution cameras to capture and analyze gymnasts’ movements in 3D. This fair system helps provide accurate scoring information to human judges. The technology can track every movement of a gymnast during a performance and compare those movements with a vast database of recognized gymnastic elements. The system automatically scores in real time, just like a human judge, based on the same criteria of both difficulty and execution. The introduction of AI into gymnastics scoring reduces human error, increases the consistency of evaluations, and helps eliminate human emotions in scoring.
AI-enhanced fan engagement
AI is not only helping athletes, coaches, and umpires, it is also having a positive impact on fan and team engagement. AI-enhanced experiences make fans more immersed in the game than ever before, making the fan experience hyper-personalized. AI-driven platforms can analyze fans’ behavior and specific preferences to provide personalized content and recommendations, making the fan experience not only more tailored but also more enjoyable. AI can suggest highlights, articles, and merchandise based on fans’ past interactions, keeping them engaged with the sport even off the field.
AI is also being deployed to improve the experience of showing sports to fans. For example, during the 2024 Paris Olympics, Olympic Broadcasting Services used AI to improve internal workflows to enhance viewer experience, enrich storytelling, and better illustrate certain sporting events. The Olympics also provided fans with automatic AI-powered highlight generation. AI technology automatically compiled and customized highlight reels for 14 different sports based on media rights holders’ preferences. The experience is intended to better engage viewers across digital and social media platforms.
AI-powered chatbots and LLMs are continually improving fan interaction with professional sports teams. AI bots can instantly respond to queries, engaging fans whenever they want to interact. They also enable seamless communication with teams and sports brands. These AI-driven tools help handle a wide range of tasks, including answering frequently asked questions, providing real-time updates on games and events, answering questions about ticket sales and venues, and creating a more customized fan experience.
Professional sports is big business, and AI can have a positive impact on the entire process. Whether it’s enhancing competitive performance analysis, preventing injuries, or allowing coaches to adjust plans in real time, AI is already impacting how the game is played. Additionally, fan engagement is a key area of the sports experience, and AI will enable personalized fan experiences, creating more engaged fans. AI technology will continue to evolve, and its role in shaping the future of sports will continue to elevate the game even further.
