IBM + Wimbledon 2024: A Partnership Continuing to Revolutionize Tennis with GenAI

I am so thrilled that The Championships, one of the most prestigious tennis tournaments in the world commonly referred to as Wimbledon, started on Monday 1st July. The tournament is set to offer a truly enhanced digital experience for fans in 2024.

This year, IBM and The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) have introduced several innovative features powered by generative AI, including the new "Catch Me Up" feature to augment existing features, including "Likelihood to Win" predictions.

These advancements aim to provide personalized and insightful content, ensuring fans stay engaged and informed throughout the tournament.

Catch Me Up: Personalized Player Stories

The "Catch Me Up" feature is designed to keep fans updated on their favorite players with AI-generated summaries. Available on Wimbledon.com and the Wimbledon App, this feature provides pre- and post-match player cards that include detailed analyses of recent performances and upcoming challenges.?

By leveraging IBM Granite, a family of large language foundation models through the watsonx platform, the AI generates stories in Wimbledon’s unique editorial style, ensuring consistency and accuracy?as well as personalized fan experiences.

The AI-generated content not only saves the Wimbledon editorial team hours of work but also allows them to focus on creating more engaging stories and managing higher-value tasks. With accessibility and inclusivity in mind, this feature is particularly beneficial for covering a broader range of players, including those who participate in wheelchair events.

Likelihood to Win: Predictive Analytics

Wimbledon 2023 set a new attendance record with?532,651 visitors?passing through the Wimbledon gates over the two-week period. This was an increase of over 17,000 visitors from the previous year, highlighting the tournament's enduring appeal and the fans' eagerness to experience the matches live. I look forward to seeing the new numbers.

Today, over 900 million fans follow tennis tournaments from their home on multiple devices.

The BBC’s coverage of Wimbledon exceeded digital records, with 54.3 million streams on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport online – up from 53.8 million in 2022. On BBC One, there was a peak audience of 11.3 million on Sunday 16 July to watch Carlos Alcaraz defeat Novak Djokovic in five sets, the highest since Andy Murray won in 2016. The match was also streamed live 4.1 million times on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport online, an increase of 58 per cent from 2022.

I look forward to following the matches and the key players via the "Likelihood to Win" from my devices too. The Likelihood to Win feature, which I also discovered last year, offers fans a fun and interactive way to predict match outcomes. By analyzing recent performances and historical data, the AI predicts each player's chances to win their matches. For example, a pre-match card might state that Carlos Alcaraz, known for his explosive style, has an 85% likelihood of winning against his opponent. These predictions provide fans with valuable insights and personalized summaries, enhancing our viewing experience and engagement with the tournament.

Enhancing Fan Engagement with Generative AI

IBM's generative AI capabilities extend beyond just player stories and match predictions. A recent global Morning Consult survey commissioned by IBM has shown that the majority of tennis fans are positive about AI. Real-time updates (36%), personalized content (31%), and unique insights (30%) are the top three areas where tennis fans believe gen AI can enhance sports experiences.

The integration of these technologies allows Wimbledon to scale its content delivery, ensuring fans worldwide receive personalized and relevant information.

The collaboration between IBM and Wimbledon showcases the transformative potential of generative AI in sports. Features like "Catch Me Up" and "Likelihood to Win" not only enhance the fan experience but also demonstrate how technology can provide deeper insights and more personalized content.

As AI continues to evolve, its impact on sports and fan engagement is likely to grow, making events like Wimbledon even more exciting and accessible to a global audience.

By integrating these advanced AI features, Wimbledon 2024 promises to be a tournament where fans won't miss any action.

I can assure you that I won’t!

I already have my devices set up to give me a 360-degree view of The Championships so that I stay informed and engaged with every serve, volley, and match point!

Make sure to download your Apps from > HERE

And check out the latest on the IBM + Wimbledon innovations > HERE

IBM partners with industry thought leaders to share their opinions and insights on current technology trends. The opinions in this post are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of IBM.

And as always... stay curious and keep innovating!

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