IBM's Generative AI Revolutionises US Open Fan Experience

In a groundbreaking development for sports technology, IBM and the United States Tennis Association (USTA) have unveiled a suite of generative AI features set to revolutionise the digital experience for millions of tennis enthusiasts at the 2024 US Open. This latest iteration of their three-decade partnership showcases the potential of AI to transform sports coverage and fan engagement.

At the core of these innovations is watsonx, IBM's AI and data platform, which powers a range of new and enhanced capabilities. The centrepiece of this year's offerings is the introduction of AI-generated Match Report summaries, a feature that promises to redefine post-match analysis in tennis journalism.

Utilising the Granite 13B large language model (LLM), specifically designed for business applications, IBM will produce comprehensive, long-form articles for all 254 main draw singles matches throughout the tournament. These reports, generated within minutes of a match's conclusion, will offer fans in-depth analysis of player performance, key statistics, and match highlights.

Jonathan Adashek, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications for IBM, emphasises the significance of this development: "Fans want more quality content around their favourite sports and athletes, and IBM Match Reports enables us to deliver it right away for the US Open. IBM's continued partnership with the USTA, built on more than 30 years of innovation, is an example of how businesses in any sector can modernise and scale their workflows with models like Granite and AI technologies like watsonx."

The Match Reports feature represents a significant leap forward in sports journalism, enabling the USTA to provide unprecedented coverage scale. Brian Ryerson, Sr. Director of Digital Strategy at the USTA, highlights the efficiency gains: "AI Match Reports enables us to efficiently deliver concise, factual match previews and reports for over 150 matches to fans across our platforms. The efficiency of providing this content at scale allows our editorial teams to focus on other storylines and interviews, ensuring we can provide the most comprehensive coverage possible."

Building on last year's success, IBM is enhancing its AI commentary feature for on-demand highlight videos. The improved system will generate more frequent, expressive, and contextual English-language audio and subtitles for men's and women's singles match summaries, with highlight packages available just minutes after a match concludes.

Tennis enthusiasts will also benefit from a fully redesigned IBM SlamTracker experience, offering detailed pre-match, live, and post-match insights. This includes win probability predictions, point-by-point analysis, and concise match previews and recaps. A standout addition is the near real-time 3D graphic of current play for live matches, providing fans with an immersive visual representation of the on-court action.

These innovations build upon IBM's impressive track record in sports technology. The company has previously developed AI-powered solutions for other prestigious sporting events, including Wimbledon and The Masters golf tournament. At Wimbledon, IBM introduced AI-generated commentary for highlight reels and implemented a stat analysis tool to identify potential future champions. For The Masters, IBM created an AI-driven platform that automatically generated highlight packages, demonstrating the company's versatility in applying AI across different sports.

Beyond enhancing the fan experience, IBM and the USTA Foundation are collaborating to offer free career readiness training through IBM SkillsBuild. This initiative aligns with the USTA Foundation's mission to support under-resourced youth and IBM's goal of skilling 30 million people by 2030. The programme will provide access to AI and professional development courses, including customised learning plans and guidance from IBM volunteers.

Participants will also have access to a new guidebook and interactive micro-learning course, available in both English and Spanish. These resources will introduce AI concepts and techniques used in tennis, such as electronic line calling and player analytics, as well as provide an introduction to LLMs, including IBM Granite.

As the 2024 US Open approaches, these AI-driven innovations promise to bring the drama and excitement of the tournament to more than 15 million people around the world. Jonathan Adashek encapsulates the significance of this partnership: "IBM's continued partnership with the USTA, built on more than 30 years of innovation, is an example of how businesses in any sector can modernise and scale their workflows with models like Granite and AI technologies like watsonx."

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