IBM and the All England Lawn Tennis Club have collaborated to introduce an innovative generative AI feature called ‘Catch Me Up’ to enhance the Wimbledon digital experience for fans. This new feature utilizes IBM’s Granite Large Language Model (LLM) through the watsonx platform to provide personalized player stories and analysis throughout the tournament.
‘Catch Me Up’ offers pre- and post-match player cards with AI-generated content on wimbledon.com and the Wimbledon 2024 app. These player cards are tailored to user preferences and myWimbledon profile data, offering pre-match performance analysis, predictions, post-match statistics, highlights, and daily game summaries. The AI-generated text adheres to Wimbledon’s editorial style and is overseen by the All England Club.
By leveraging generative AI, Wimbledon can expand its content coverage to include a wider range of matches, including wheelchair events, enhancing the diversity of its international audience. The redesigned digital match hub, IBM Slamtracker, accessible through the Wimbledon app and wimbledon.com, provides bullet-based match previews and individual post-match reviews using generative AI from watsonx.
A recent survey conducted by IBM and Morning Consult revealed that the majority of tennis fans globally, including those in the UAE, view AI positively. The research showed that 55 percent of global tennis fans believe AI will have a positive impact on sports, with even greater optimism among fans in the UAE. In the UAE, 81 percent of tennis fans believe technology will improve fan engagement, while 88 percent believe it will enhance coaching, 89 percent think it will improve game strategy, 87 percent believe it will improve training, and 85 percent believe it will aid in talent identification and acquisition.
The survey also found that 25 percent of UAE sports fans use two devices simultaneously while watching sports, with 10 percent of fans aged 18-29 using three or more devices. The top reasons for using multiple devices include accessing more game information, interacting with other fans, and multitasking.
Overall, the introduction of ‘Catch Me Up’ and the positive reception of AI by tennis fans worldwide, including those in the UAE, indicate a growing acceptance and appreciation for the use of technology to enhance the sports viewing experience. IBM’s continued partnership with Wimbledon demonstrates the potential for generative AI to provide engaging and insightful storytelling for fans.
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https://gulfbusiness.com/ibm-ai-is-transforming-experiences-at-wimbledon/