Wimbledon Introduces AI-Powered Commentary

K.C. Sabreena Basheer Last Updated : 26 Jun, 2023
3 min read

Exciting news for tennis enthusiasts! Wimbledon, one of the most prestigious tennis tournaments in the world, is embracing cutting-edge technology to enhance the viewer experience. Collaborating with tech giant IBM, Wimbledon is set to introduce artificial intelligence-powered commentary to its coverage this year. This innovative approach aims to provide fans with AI-generated audio commentary and captions, offering a fresh perspective on the matches and ensuring an immersive experience for tennis lovers. Let’s delve into the details of AI-powered sports commentary and its impact on the industry.

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Wimbledon is collaborating with tech giant IBM to introduce AI-powered commentary and captions to its tennis tournament coverage this year.

AI Commentary Enhances Wimbledon Coverage

Wimbledon has joined forces with IBM, a technological innovation leader, to revolutionize how fans engage with the tournament. Through utilizing IBM’s Watson AI platform, specifically trained in the intricate language of tennis, Wimbledon will provide AI-generated audio commentary and captions for its online highlights videos. This new offering will be available on the Wimbledon app and website, providing an immersive & informative experience beyond traditional coverage.

Unveiling the Power of AI in Tennis Analysis

IBM’s artificial intelligence has already been an integral part of Wimbledon’s operations, contributing to features such as the player power index, which analyzes player performance. Building upon this foundation, the tournament coverage will incorporate AI-powered singles draw analysis. By examining a player’s path to the final, this innovative feature will help fans uncover potential surprises and anomalies that may not be apparent from ranking alone. IBM’s artificial intelligence capabilities open up exciting possibilities for comprehensive tennis analysis.

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AI will be analyzing the game and giving live commentary at the Wimbledon tennis tournament this year.

The Magic Behind AI Commentary at Wimbledon

To bring the AI’s sports commentary to life, a wealth of data is collected from various sources on the court. This includes ball-tracking data, player-tracking data, and analysis of shots made from different court areas. The collected data is then processed through IBM’s AI models, which generate natural language commentary specifically tailored to the language of tennis and the unique Wimbledon experience. This commentary can seamlessly transform into near-real-time audio commentary, immersing fans in the action.

Tech giant IBM introduces AI-powered sports commentary.

Pioneering Future Possibilities

Wimbledon’s introduction of AI commentary marks a significant milestone on the path to generating AI-driven commentary for entire matches. This forward-thinking approach paves the way for a new era of immersive and insightful sports coverage. Earlier this month, the European Broadcasting Union also announced its use of cloned voice technology to provide commentary for the European Athletics Championships. This demonstrates the increasing prevalence of artificial intelligence in the world of sports broadcasting.

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Watson’s Legacy and AI’s Evolution

IBM’s Watson AI platform has a storied history, gaining recognition over a decade ago for its remarkable feat of winning the game show Jeopardy! Since then, Watson has continued to evolve, demonstrating its capacity to understand complex queries and provide real-time responses. With the integration of Watson in Wimbledon’s coverage, artificial intelligence continues pushing boundaries and redefining how we experience sports.

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Our Say

Wimbledon’s collaboration with IBM to introduce AI-powered commentary is an exciting development that promises to elevate the viewer experience for tennis fans worldwide. By leveraging artificial intelligence, Wimbledon enables fans to delve deeper into the matches, providing unique insights and enhancing engagement. As artificial intelligence continues to advance, we can expect even more immersive and interactive sports coverage, ushering in a new era of innovation in the world of sports entertainment.

Sabreena Basheer is an architect-turned-writer who's passionate about documenting anything that interests her. She's currently exploring the world of AI and Data Science as a Content Manager at Analytics Vidhya.

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