IBM and the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) have teamed up once again to bring artificial intelligence (AI) to Wimbledon 2023, making it the smartest tournament for fans to date. With a longstanding partnership of 34 years, IBM is providing extensive data and analytics services to enhance the overall experience for fans and media.
This year’s Wimbledon will feature more AI technology than ever before, alongside advanced analytics and insight tools, allowing fans to delve deeper into the tournament. Kevin Farrar, IBM’s UK Sports Partnership Leader, emphasized the importance of data, stating that it’s very much about humans and AI working together.
One of the highlights of this collaboration is the use of generative AI technology to provide commentary for all video highlights packages on Wimbledon.com and the Wimbledon app. The AI system has been trained specifically on tennis, ensuring it includes key terminology, statistics, and the language unique to Wimbledon. While the AI-powered commentary adds value and covers aspects that human commentators cannot, Farrar stressed that it is not intended to replace human involvement but to complement it.
To further elevate the fan experience, IBM has introduced an AI-powered draw analysis feature. This tool incorporates various variables, past performances, and statistics to predict the potential progress of players throughout the tournament. Fans can now use the Wimbledon app or website to track the likelihood of their favorite players winning each match.
Farrar acknowledged the unpredictable nature of tennis, where upsets can occur at any moment. The draw analysis feature aims to bring the excitement and drama of Wimbledon to fans worldwide, even those unable to attend the event in person.
IBM is also working on a proof-of-concept using computer vision to identify additional variables and areas of interest. However, Farrar stressed the importance of ensuring transparency and avoiding biases in the use of AI technology. Trust from the public is crucial to the success of AI applications.
Through their collaboration, IBM and the AELTC are revolutionizing the fan experience at Wimbledon 2023 with AI-driven innovations, allowing fans to connect more deeply with the tournament and its players. As the world’s oldest tennis championship embraces AI, it sets a new standard for sporting events worldwide.
