IBM introduces AI commentary tool for Wimbledon
IBN As a step aimed at enhancing the fan experience, Wimbledon, the famous tennis tournament, is incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) into its commentary system this year. Tech giant IBM announced on Wednesday that its artificial intelligence-based commentary tool will be used for all Wimbledon videos, giving fans an even better and more immersive viewing experience. According to IBM’s press release, this innovative AI commentary feature for fans is the official Wimbledon website and app.
It allows them to engage with the tournament on a deeper level, offering audio commentary and subtitles for key moments of matches. Users can flexibly turn these functions on and off as needed. The introduction of AI commentary aims to bring an exciting and dynamic element to matches played outside of Wimbledon’s Show Courts, where live human commentary is already available.
To develop the AI system, experts worked closely with Wimbledon organizers to teach the technology in the nuances and language of tennis. It builds on Wimbledon’s existing implementation of AI, which includes features such as match insights, highlight wheels and performance index rankings. In addition, the AI tool analyzes individual draws in the tournament and calculates players’ chances of reaching the finals, providing valuable insights and predictions.
Kevin Farrar, Head of Sports Partnerships at IBM, emphasized that the role of AI is to complement and enhance the human element of sports commentary, not to completely replace it. He acknowledged the irreplaceable presence of famous tennis figure John McEnroe and stated that AI cannot replicate his unique contribution. Farrar sees AI as a valuable addition that will enrich fans’ overall commentating experience.
Wimbledon 2023 is scheduled to start on July 3 and end on July 16. This announcement is in line with a wider trend towards technological improvements in tennis. Earlier this year, the men’s ATP Tour announced plans to replace on-court linesmen with electronic linesmen from 2025, with the aim of optimizing the accuracy and consistency of matches.
IBM previously used AI-generated commentary at the prestigious Masters golf tournament, providing extensive analysis and insights from more than 20,000 video clips during the event. The integration of artificial intelligence technology into sports is constantly evolving, improving the spectator experience and providing engaging and informative match broadcasts.
