Sports have always been the center of attraction and attention across various spectrums. Be it the FIFA, World Cup, Olympics, Grand Prix, etc. Not only do fans and followers wait with enthusiasm but the athletes also begin to train and prep up for the upcoming events.
The trainers and broadcasting channels of the respective sports have a tougher challenge ahead of them during these seasons. Coaches have to ensure that their athletes are getting the necessary training to hone their skills. The channels have to broadcast these sports to the best of their abilities so the enthusiastic fans can enjoy them to the fullest.
This is where Artificial Intelligence comes to light. All sectors that have incorporated AI in their daily functioning have not only shown positive results but also improved significantly. Let’s take a closer look at how sports and AI can go hand-in-hand.
The use of AI in sports can bring tremendous value to those in the sports industry.
Improved training and performance:
An athlete trains to improve and hone their skills. To do so they must follow the discipline of training every day and follow the regime diligently. In these cases, sensor technology plays a pivotal role and helps athletes improve. Fitbit is an excellent example of sensor technology where it shows the user what type of exercise he has to do as a part of daily training.
Framing better strategies:
Beyond training and skills, a strategy is a key element in putting those skills to test. Traditionally athletes refer to the recording of previous matches and analyze the strengths and weaknesses of their opponents and the opportunities presented to them. With the help of AI, better outcomes can be predicted to gain an upper hand in the upcoming tournaments. And of course, avoid past mistakes which cost them their victory.
Fair judgment and Improved Refereeing:
Football fans and Cricket enthusiasts will understand the weight of this. The use of AI in cricket has been incorporated for a very long time to give better verdicts in case of run-outs, LBWs, etc. In the earlier years, many deserving teams have lost tournaments and matches due to poor or unfair judgments. Implementing AI will drastically reduce and ensure fair play.
Improved scouting and recruitment:
Understanding the potential and performance of the recruit is paramount. The use of AI can help in identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the recruits by analyzing the performance record and making an informed decision whether to invest in a particular athlete or not. Of course, making this work will require big data. Big Data and Artificial Intelligence will ensure the process of recording and measuring the probability of success in the future.
AI can change the mode of sports journalism for good. Artificial Intelligence can help in crunching the numbers and figures into understandable information for the masses about upcoming sports events.
Artificial Intelligence and Sports have come a long way. Arguably the first use of AI in sports was when high-speed cameras were introduced which helped the judges and referees to come up with a decision during the event. In the recent decade with the incorporation of more advancements, sports events and data will get more accurate. Also, the quality of training the athletes will improve which will help them to get better at a faster rate. As better training facilities and methods produce better sportspeople, it will inspire more and more people to take up sports. To top it up, some people are passionate about sports but not very athletic, but with AI they can still make a career in sports and get into data analytics.
