AI in Sports:
How do you spot the talents of the future?
As the Official AI Platform Partner for Paris 2024, Intel introduced innovative AI experiences to help transform the Olympic experience for fans, organisers, athletes and viewers across the globe.
An Intel AI Platform installation was placed at Stade de France during the games.
The project used AI to identify potential sports stars from the crowds of Olympic fans passing through. Developed by an Intel AI partner, fans were invited to complete a series of exercises at this elite sports lab, while being tracked through smart cameras and sensors.
The elite sport lab: a hub of innovation
The sport lab is designed to capture complex performance data across various exercise stations. AI cameras analyse participants’ form and technique, while sensors collect key metrics that provide insights into their athletic potential. According to Chris Howe, the Sport Lab Manager and Intel AI platform:
”We can test a team of 20 players in an hour, and that will collect around 3,500 metrics and feed that back in real time.
Chris HoweSport Lab Manager
This wealth of data allows for a rapid and accurate assessment of future development prospects. In Paris, the lab focuses on both physical and cognitive tests, tailored to assess fitness for ten different sports, including climbing, basketball, swimming, and boxing. This comprehensive approach ensures that a wide range of athletic abilities is evaluated.
Expanding the reach of AI-Driven scouting
The creators of this technology aim to take it global, extending its reach beyond the stadiums of Paris. A mobile version of the technology has already been deployed in remote parts of Senegal, where it is helping to uncover hidden football talent. This expansion highlights the technology’s potential to democratise sports scouting, identifying talent in regions that may have been overlooked by traditional methods.
What are the pros?
- Enhanced talent identification: AI enables a more precise and data-driven approach to identifying athletic potential, ensuring that no talent goes unnoticed.
- Efficiency: The ability to process thousands of metrics in real time allows for quick assessments, making it possible to evaluate large groups of athletes rapidly.
- Global Reach: By taking the technology to remote regions, the pool of potential talent is significantly widened, offering opportunities to athletes who might not have access to traditional scouting platforms.
Challenges and ethical considerations
- Overreliance on Data: While AI can provide valuable insights, there is a risk of overreliance on data, potentially overlooking the human aspects of sports, such as mental resilience and passion.
- Bias and Fairness: Ensuring that AI systems are free from biases that could disadvantage certain groups of athletes is crucial. This requires continuous monitoring and refinement of the algorithms.
- Data Privacy: The collection of extensive personal data raises concerns about privacy and the ethical use of this information. Safeguards must be in place to protect the participants’ rights.
AI and the future of sports talent scouting
The use of AI in sports scouting, especially at the Stade de France, marks a big step forward in finding and developing new athletic talent. While this technology offers many advantages, it’s important to address potential issues, like fairness and data privacy. AI should be seen as a tool that works alongside human expertise, not as a replacement. As AI continues to grow, it will likely have a huge impact on the sports world, creating new opportunities for athletes everywhere.
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