AI-powered sports commentary now coming to the U.S Open

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the world of sports broadcasting, and the U.S. Open is the latest major tournament to embrace this cutting-edge technology. By doing so, the premier tennis tournament will follow the likes of Masters Golf and Wimbledon to use AI to automatically narrate highlight videos posted on websites and apps.

AI commentators will not replace human counterparts, but rather assist them in their roles. AI will handle the tedious aspects of the job, such as summarizing events and providing play-by-play announcing for less notable matches. Thanks to AI technology, audio commentary can be generated quickly, even for events that previously didn’t have any commentary.

Noah Syken, IBM’s Vice President of Sports and Entertainment Partnerships, confirmed that the U.S. Open will utilize AI technology for commentary. While specific details of the implementation have not been disclosed yet, it is expected that AI will play a similar role in assisting human commentators during the tournament.

While AI commentary has been well-received in terms of its ability to cover a wide range of events and provide quick narration, it has faced some criticism from sports audiences. Some viewers found the AI commentary to be monotonous, lacking emotions, and voice modulations.

Worth noting, however, that AI commentary is still a work in progress.

As AI technology continues to improve, the future of sports broadcasting looks promising. AI has the potential to enhance the viewer experience, provide comprehensive coverage of events, and reduce costs for media companies. However, it’s crucial to strike a balance between AI and human commentators, ensuring that the unique skills and artistry of human commentators are preserved.