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AI is a word that seems to be flying around a lot nowadays. The acronym stands for Artificial Intelligence, which is the process of making computers think as humans do. This term has taken on many forms in recent years – self-driving cars, chatbots, and even virtual assistants like Siri or Alexa are all powered by AI. However, did you know that AI is also revolutionizing the sports industry?
In recent years, AI has been used to slow down footage from games played in real-time. The result is a data set that can be sorted through by coaches looking for trends over time, and over a variety of different players. For example, a college basketball coach might want to see how a player defends a particular move on offense – say a jab step – across different matchups and at different points during the game. The coach can then use this information to make adjustments for this specific player going forward. This kind of thing isn’t just limited to basketball either; football teams have been using similar techniques for years now as well. In fact, NFL teams reportedly spend around $100 million collectively each year on this technology.
The use of AI in sports isn’t just limited to NFL, FIFA has also been using it for years. In fact, FIFA used this technology as far back as 2010. The application of AI can serve as an easy-to-use and efficient tool that enables the extraction of large amounts of data from video footage, even if that video footage isn’t ideal or is just raw footage.
Other areas where AI is being applied
Apart from those mentioned above, AI is also being used in some other aspects of sports.
Sports betting and fantasy leagues
Sportsbetting companies have been using AI to provide better odds and analysis for over a decade now. Those who have Betway download already on their mobile devices might understand how this works. Now though, we’re starting to see applications on more recent events thanks to improvements in both computing power and machine learning. Fantasy sports providers like DraftKings are also looking into ways to use Machine Learning (ML) to improve the experiences of their users. These new developments are making the gaming experience more personalized and interactive.
Outfitting athletes with sensors to track their performance
This is big business in the sports industry, both professional and amateur. Trackers, monitors, watches, and smart shoes are all being used to provide coaches/trainers insight into an athlete’s performance during training sessions. Aiding these pros or amateurs (when it comes to coaching) can help improve the overall performance of players on the pitch. Additionally, some companies like Adidas are using AI in a product called miCoach to give feedback to runners about their speed and movements while they’re out running. The company claims that data recorded by this device is then cleared from any identifiable information afterward – although many would argue what actually constitutes identifiable information. In any case, this is a great example of AI being used in a practical sense to improve the performance of athletes.
Sports AI’s next application is expected to be in scouting
AI can sift through video and statistics from multiple sources to find players with unique skillsets as well as help make playing decisions for coaches. AI will even be able to identify where on the pitch a player excels or what style they play best. Today, one company called AiSCOUT has developed an AI software that uses data to profile young talents who might not otherwise have been spotted by scouts. The AI platform then ranks prospects based on their physicality, technical ability, and tactical awareness.
What we can expect
Additionally, AI could help players learn new plays or formations much more efficiently than spending hours on the training pitch. AI can identify and learn what different formations and play styles look like in order to emulate them later. AI could also inform players how best to implement certain strategies based on their opponent’s tendencies, so they are always prepared to execute the most efficient strategies. AI will be able to tell teams how likely they are to win or lose against any given team, which would help coaches better prepare their players for games ahead of time.