How the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) impacting Sports
Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing sports and elevating it to a whole new level. While it is true that statistics and quantitative analysis have played a central role in games for a long time, AI is significantly impacting every aspect of sports. Over the last few years, sports have seen a quantum leap in the application of AI, Machine Learning, and advanced data science methodologies. Here I am going to share a few breathtaking advancements in Sports which one would have thought a fairy tale even a decade ago.
# 01: Creating New Sport
Speedgate is the first sport designed from scratch by artificial intelligence. A pet project of the creative agency AKQA for Design Week Portland. The algorithm took more than 1,000 ideas that were then interpreted to form the new sports concept. The algorithm designed to focus on accessibility, learnability, enjoyability, and potential for physical exercise. The resulting sport — Speedgate — exhibits familiar elements of croquet, rugby and soccer, and is the world’s first to be imagined by AI.
# 02: AI Augmented Coaching
AI is having a significant impact on strategic decisions coaches make, both before and during a game. Through a combination of wearable sensors and high-speed cameras, AI platforms can now measure the speed, spin, and placement of a tennis serve, a curveball, a forward pass, a penalty kick, LBW in Cricket and dozens of other similar actions, not to mention the motions and positioning in the space of the players who perform them. All this data makes coaches better able to prepare players for competition. Equally important, AI can predict the chances of success for various game tactics. For example, some football coaches are now turning to AI to help them call the right plays during a game. Based on the AI and Data Science, driven performance analysis of the player alongside qualitative and quantitative variables can help coaches and trainers devise better training programs for their players. Once a coach knows at…
