Adam Silver, the NBA commissioner, showcased an exciting concept called NB-AI at the league’s Tech Summit on Friday. This concept demonstrates how AI technology could revolutionize the way fans watch basketball games. The proposed interface, NB-AI, aims to personalize a fan’s live game viewing experience through a digital assistant trained in the NBA.
During the presentation, Silver interacted with the digital assistant, asking it to recreate a live basketball game as if it were a Spider-Man movie. The result was astonishing, as the tool transformed the players into cartoon characters, adding dramatic music and digital effects reminiscent of comic book adventures.
The demonstration also featured Victor Wembanyama, a rookie player for the San Antonio Spurs, who contributed to the presentation. Wembanyama showcased features that allow fans to view and purchase the sneakers worn by their favorite players in real time. Additionally, the demonstration highlighted the ability to identify close contests happening in the moment.
While most customer engagement with AI is currently through text or voice, companies like OpenAI are actively exploring algorithmically generated videos. OpenAI recently introduced a new text-to-video model called Sora. Tech groups are also developing domain-specific models, such as a bot trained on NBA data that can efficiently perform tasks and provide information related to the sport.
The introduction of computer-generated video clips raises ethical questions, including the potential for faking news events and the circumvention of athlete NIL rights by using AI versions instead. However, these advancements in entertainment options pose competition for sports when it comes to engaging fans and capturing their time.
Adam Silver is known for his forward-thinking approach to fan engagement. In the past, he has teased innovations like color-changing jerseys and augmented reality features that allow fans to insert their faces into NBA highlights.
Despite the progress in AI technology, the NBA continues to focus on expanding its merchandising and custom viewing options as it strengthens its direct-to-consumer business. Silver recently met with Apple CEO Tim Cook to discuss leveraging Vision Pro headsets in ways that benefit the league.
As AI technology evolves, it presents both opportunities and challenges for the sports industry. With the potential to enhance the fan experience and provide unique viewing options, it will be interesting to see how the NBA and other sports leagues embrace AI in the future.
In conclusion, Adam Silver’s demonstration of the NB-AI concept at the NBA Tech Summit showcased a possible future for AI-driven fan experiences in basketball. The personalized and immersive features presented during the demonstration highlight how AI technology could transform the way fans engage with the game. As the NBA continues to explore these advancements, it is clear that AI will play a crucial role in shaping the future of sports entertainment.
