SUMMARY
- Adam Silver introduces cutting-edge AI technology at the NBA All-Star Tech Summit.
- The NBA's utilization of AI sets it apart from other leagues.
It’s a fact that a human’s attention span is split between multiple screens now. In times like these, it’s difficult for a human to cater to all their generative needs. However, AI holds the power to fulfill this requirement. Adam Silver has equipped the NBA League with yet another innovation that might bring more business to the league.
The NBA All-Star Tech Summit, held on February 15, 2024, had a special appearance made by the NBA Commissioner and the big man of the San Antonio Spurs, Victor Wembanyama. Silver debuted the technology and asked it to perform tasks that were nearly impossible until now. Generative AI definitely has the power to personalize a spectator’s game-viewing experience.
Adam Silver and Wemby unveil NB-AI at NBA All-Star Tech Summit in Indy – now you can use your voice to activate “movie mode” and make a live NBA game look like your favorite film pic.twitter.com/NItNQSvyTC
— NBA (@NBA) February 16, 2024
Not only can the NBA AI shift your normal game viewing experience to movie mode, but a fan can even look up the shoes worn by a player in real-time. For text searches, people can resort to ChatGPT, and for voice searches, Siri and Google Assistant come in handy.
After flirting with the concept of color-changing jerseys in the past, Silver is diving deep into the niche to enhance next-generation entertainment options.
NBA AI holds the power to track a player’s weaknesses
It’s worth noting that the NBA is the only sports league to use automation to this extent. Although the NHL and the Los Angeles Rams are also taking an active interest in using AI in fields pertaining to content analysis and sponsorship support, player performance enhancement is an untapped field.
AI can prove to be instrumental in assessing whether a player with certain skill sets is primed for breakout seasons or not. Using a player’s current performance stats and injury history, AI can predict how to enhance his or her performance. Not only that, teams can also access data related to a player’s speed, stamina, and physique with escalating age.
NBA coaches can now rely on AI for better player recruitment decisions
Being an NBA coach is not just about crunching numbers. It takes time and effort to make a conscious guess about the recruitment of certain players. AI is capable enough to assess which player has higher success rates in the fourth quarter. Taking minute decisions might become a lot easier for the league’s coaches.
Although the negative side of this scenario might be an increase in the spread of fake sports news, fans must also look at the positive side. Apart from putting a fan’s face in NBA highlights, AI can do much more now. And Adam Silver is making sure to take the NBA to greater heights in terms of digital traction.