By: Josh Goldberg, Esq.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already having a significant impact on sports and is expected to influence various aspects of the industry in the future. With the recent adoption of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, AI has gone mainstream*.
A year ago, not many people knew or understood the term AI. AI, in simpler terms, is a machine learning technology (ex. computer program) that mimics human intelligence to learn and make faster, more informed decisions, and perform tasks.
Here are some ways in which AI is already affecting the sports industry and how it may revolutionize its future:
Performance Analysis
With the help of AI algorithms, coaches and players can analyze vast amounts of data about games, opponents, and their own performances. This data can be used to identify strengths and weaknesses, develop strategies, and make informed decisions in real-time. AI can also help with injury prevention by tracking player movements and analyzing biomechanical data to identify any movements that could lead to injury.
Sports Betting
AI is being used to analyze vast amounts of data to make more accurate predictions in sports betting. This can help increase the accuracy of odds and improve the overall betting experience. AI built predictive models that allows consumers to sports-bet in real-time (micro-betting), in which users can bet on the result of the next play (ex. run or pass), pitch (ex. ball or strike), or result (ex. touchdown, home run).
Fan Engagement
With the help of AI-powered chatbots, AI-content distribution, and virtual and augmented reality technology, sports enthusiasts can experience games in new and exciting ways. AI-powered chatbots can provide real-time game updates, answer questions, and provide personalized recommendations based on a fan’s preferences. AI can predict and determine the best content to distribute during-and-after a game and deliver highlights instantaneously. Fans in-stadium and at-home experiences will also benefit from the introduction of VR/AR-powered technology to make the experience more immersive.
Refereeing and Officiating
AI has been used for years in detecting offside situations in soccer through video assistant referee technology (VAR). More sports will likely adopt AI-powered technology to make more informed and accurate calls that can greatly affect the outcome of games – whether that be replacing baseball umpires with virtual referees to detect balls and strikes, or having an AI-powered instant replay assistant identify and analyze different game situations and provide recommendations to officials.
Training and Skill Development
AI is also transforming the way that athletes train and develop their skills. With the help of AI-powered training programs, athletes can receive personalized feedback and recommendations to improve their performance. Golfers and tennis players have already been using this kind of technology for many years in order to analyze their swing or serving technique.
As AI technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more innovations in the world of sports. However, it’s important to note that there may also be concerns around the ethical implications of AI in sports, such as privacy and data security issues, and the potential for AI to replace human decision-making entirely. Further potential legal implications may arise such as intellectual property rights (if an AI system creates a work, who owns the copyright?), discrimination (if an AI system is trained on biased data, it may produce biased results), and liability concerns (if an AI system causes harm or makes a mistake, who is at fault?).
Ultimately, AI is a tool that can help athletes, coaches, and fans enhance their sports experience, but it is essential to use it responsibly and consider its impact on the broader sports community.
*This article was partially written with the help of Open AI’s Chat GPT . ChatGPT is a chat bot built on a large language model that allows users to ask the chat bot questions in a conversational matter and receive human-like responses such as the answering questions, summarizing long documents, or generating creative writing.
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