In a bid to improve fan engagement, this year's Wimbledon tennis tournament will feature artificial intelligence (AI)-powered commentary and player analytics. The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) and IBM, the technology company, announced their collaboration to incor porate new technology on the tournament's online platform. The AI commentary feature, developed in partnership with AELTC and powered by IBM WatsonX technology, will provide audio and subtitles for match highlight videos, offering insights into crucial moments using tennis-specific language.
The AI commentary aims to enhance the digital experience for Wimbledon fans worldwide by providing commentary on a wider range of games, especially during events such as senior, junior, and wheelchair matches that may lack dedicated expert commentary. IBM, an official partner of Wimbledon since In 1990, has been at the front of using AI-powered analytics tools to offer player "strength indices," match insights, personalized highlights, and draw analysis functions. The introduction of a new statistic to assess the favorability of players reaching the singles final add further depth to the analytics provided.
Jonathan Adashek, IBM's senior vice president of marketing and communications, emphasized the potential of AI technology to elevate major sporting events like Wimbledon, attracting a larger audience by delivering an enhanced digital experience. IBM has been exp loring AI-generated commentary since 2019 and has previously integrated it into clips from the Masters golf tournament in April. The partnership between AELTC and IBM aims to provide Wimbledon fans with an insightful and engaging digital experience, leveraging the power of AI in tennis coverage.
