Sports in India and the Pathway to Effective AI Frameworks

Discussing India's Journey Towards Advanced AI Integration in Sports for Enhanced Global Competitiveness

In a clip shared by Amit Gupta (https://www.dhirubhai.net/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7154831470925107200/ ), Satya Nadella , CEO of 微软 , talks to #SamAltman, CEO of OpenAI , with The Economist ’s editor-in-chief, Zanny Minton Beddoes . In this insightful discussion, Altman talks about the near-future capabilities of ChatGPT - New! , forecasting significant advancements and envisioning it as an essential tool for knowledge work and productivity enhancement. This projection not only highlights the rapid evolution of #AI but also its potential to revolutionize how we approach and implement sports strategies, training, and analytics. Nadella and Altman's dialogue on whether AI's progress is incremental or radical opens up an interesting perspective, especially when considering the gradual integration of AI in sports and its eventual leap towards transformative changes. Moreover, their emphasis on safety, regulation, and responsible AI development aligns with the growing global consensus on the need for ethical and controlled AI integration in various fields, including sports. The concept of a "magic red button" for AI, as discussed by Altman, highlights the complexity and continuous nature of AI governance, stressing the importance of foresight and proactive risk management.

Once I saw the clip I felt pretty compelled to write about this because amidst all the discussion on #aiinsports we are just skimming over a few facts. But to build a better understanding about the development and implementation of AI in sports in India, we need to get under the skin of the actual problem. In the context of sports, AI has the potential to redefine athlete performance, enhance fan engagement, and revolutionize management systems. As we go deeper into this topic, it is important to consider the current global landscape, where AI in sports is not a distant future but a tangible present and in the same vein of thought Dilip Kumar had mentioned key #startups in the #healthtech space in his post. According to a report by PwC, I'm sure Karamveer Singh Bakshi would have read this, the sports analytics market size is expected to reach USD 4.5 billion by 2025, indicating the expansive embrace of data and AI in the industry (PwC, "Sports Analytics Market," 2021). Turning our focus to India, with a rich mix of sports culture and fervent fans, the integration of AI stands as both a challenge and an opportunity. The Indian sports sector, while growing, has yet to fully capitalize on the power of AI, often due to infrastructural and educational barriers. With a population exceeding 1.3 billion and a significant youth demographic, India has a vast pool of athletic talent and a potentially large market for sports technology according to the United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division.

What are the basics of AI?

I've said it earlier too, the essence of AI, in general, is to automate mundane tasks, thereby freeing humans to focus on complex, creative and strategic activities that AI cannot perform. This fundamental principle of AI application is crucial across various sectors. Let's talk of this in a little more detail:

• Automation of Mundane Tasks: AI excels at handling repetitive and rule-based tasks. This capability allows for the automation of routine processes, from data entry in administrative sectors to pattern recognition in manufacturing. By taking over these tasks, AI not only increases efficiency but also reduces the potential for human error. This shift enables human workers to engage more in tasks that require emotional intelligence, creativity and logically well thought of judgment – areas where AI is currently limited.
• Recognition of Intricate Patterns: One of AI's most remarkable abilities is its pattern recognition skill. Through machine learning, especially deep learning and its vast future in Indian industries (referring to Amit Gupta 's discussion on the emergence of #deeptech in India with iHub - AWaDH @ IIT Ropar , Mukesh Kestwal , Radhika Trikha , Vinay Jaiswal ?? ), AI systems can analyze vast datasets to identify patterns that are not immediately apparent to humans. This capability is extensively used in fields like healthcare for diagnostic purposes, in finance for market trend analysis, and in retail for consumer behavior prediction.
• Futuristic Predictions and Efficiency Enhancement: AI's ability to analyze past and present data allows for forecasting future trends and scenarios with a significant degree of accuracy. This predictive capability is transformative in areas like supply chain management, where it can anticipate demand fluctuations, or in urban planning, where it can predict traffic patterns. By doing so, AI contributes to the creation of more efficient and proactive strategies in business operations and public services.
• Building AI Frameworks: To harness these AI capabilities effectively, certain foundational elements are necessary:
• Data Collection and Management: High-quality, diverse, and comprehensive data is the fuel for AI.
• Computational Infrastructure: Advanced computational power is required to process large datasets.
• AI Talent and Expertise: Skilled professionals in AI and data science are crucial for developing and managing AI systems.
• Ethical and Legal Compliance: It's essential to consider the ethical implications of AI, especially in terms of privacy and bias, and comply with relevant laws and regulations.
• Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Collaboration across various fields ensures that AI solutions are well-rounded and cater to the actual needs of the industry or sector.

Since we've understood AI's role in automating routine tasks, recognizing patterns, and making predictions enhances overall efficiency and effectiveness in diverse fields. The continued development and ethical deployment of AI is vital to unlocking its full potential in augmenting human capabilities and driving innovation forward especially with reference to something like sports where we find the most spending after aerospace and defence.

Application of AI in Global Sports Context

The current landscape of AI in global sports is characterized by significant growth and innovation, with major players and rising investment trends shaping the industry. To give a broad overview let's talk about key considerations:

• Market Size and Growth: The global sports analytics market was valued at USD 2.73 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 22.3% from 2023 to 2030 (Grand View Research). This growth is driven by increasing demand for real-time data analytics and predictive insights to enhance fan engagement.
• Key Players and Developments: IBM Corporation and ESPN announced the use of AI models to transform fantasy football data. The models are expected to generate over 48 billion insights for fantasy managers in 2023, highlighting the massive scale of data processing and analytics involved according to Mordor Intelligence. While Veritone , under the leadership of Ryan Steelberg introduced #sportx in October 2022, an intelligent marketplace for licensing short-form sports content. This platform's development indicates a growing market segment focused on digital content management and distribution using AI.
• Applications in Sports: AI is extensively used for player analysis, fan engagement, and data interpretation. The software segment, including solutions like video analytics and bioanalytics, holds the largest market share. Services in sports analytics are also witnessing substantial growth, with a focus on technology consulting, data analysis, and predictive forecasting. The sports analytics market size is projected to grow from $2.73 billion in 2022 to $10.54 billion by 2030. While the services segment in sports analytics, including technology consulting and data analysis, is expected to register a substantial growth rate of over 19.0% from 2023 to 2030, indicating increasing demand for specialized AI services in sports according to Grand View Research, Inc .
• Regional Insights: The sports analytics market size in North America was valued at USD 1.17 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 25.2% from 2023 to 2030. The region's market growth is driven by investments in AI technology and video analysis by major sports organizations like the NFL, MLB, and NBA. In the meanwhile the Asia-Pacific market is projected to witness a significant growth rate of more than 24.0% over the forecast period. Countries such as China, Japan, and India are anticipated to experience strong demand, fueled by investments in sports and digitalization says the Fortune Business Insights? .
• Emerging Trends: AI and Machine Learning are increasingly being used in sports enterprise applications for sports planning. According to a prediction by Gartner Inc., global end-user spending on wearable devices was expected to reach $81.5 billion in 2021, up 18.1% from $69 billion in 2020. This significant increase underlines the growing trend of wearable technology in sports for performance tracking and health monitoring. The integration of AI with these devices is expected to enhance their functionality and data analysis capabilities. In an interesting development, in August 2023, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras researchers collaborated with the Inspire Institute of Sport to create advanced boxing analytics software. This partnership is a part of a trend where research institutes are joining forces with sports organizations to develop sophisticated AI tools. The basketball segment in sports analytics accounted for a revenue share of nearly 18.0% in 2022 and is expected to witness considerable growth over the forecast period. While the football segment is expected to register a CAGR of more than 24.0% over the forecast period.

These developments are shaping a future where AI plays a central role in enhancing athletic performance, strategic planning, and fan engagement in the sports sector. With this in mind, let's look at India & its present state of affairs in sports.

Current State of Indian Sports

In my previous writeup, I've discussed that while India is making notable progress in developing its sports infrastructure and talent, the integration of AI in sports remains an area ripe for growth, requiring more focused investments and policies geared towards technology adoption and diversification of sports disciplines. Though our sports infrastructure has been growing, with around 100 sports facilities meeting international standards. The country has witnessed substantial investments in sports infrastructure, including government-owned and private facilities. The Khelo India University Games scheme, launched in 2018, plays a pivotal role in developing grassroots-level sports infrastructure, with a budget of Rs. 1000 crore allocated in 2023. Additionally, the National Investment Pipeline (NIP) includes over 90 projects for stadiums and sports complexes, with a total worth of $1.49 billion. Specific projects like the Vishakapatnam Sports City, worth US$ 129 million, are scheduled for completion by August 1, 2024 according to Invest India. The Indian sports sector has made strides in talent development, supported by increased government funding and initiatives.

Under the able leadership of Shri Anurag Singh Thakur ji, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports received a budget allocation of Rs.3397.32 crore for FY 2023-24, reflecting an 11% increase from the previous year. This funding supports various programs aimed at nurturing young talent and building a comprehensive sports culture. Yet, the challenge remains in ensuring that these resources are effectively utilized to develop talent across diverse sports and regions (Press Information Bureau). In India, the sports sector's AI frameworks are non existent with notable deficiencies in data collection and processing systems. The lack of specialized AI models tailored to India's diverse sports landscape further hampers the derivation of valuable intelligence. This shortfall in infrastructure and expertise significantly impedes the potential application and benefits of AI in enhancing sports performance and analytics in the country, which the G20 Sherpa, Shri Amitabh Kant , might agree to.

Building Effective AI Frameworks for Indian Sports

Creating effective AI frameworks for Indian sports necessitates a multifaceted approach, addressing the significant absence of comprehensive data collection, particularly from rural and fringe athletes and the lack of a robust data lake for complex analytics. Forward thinking #indians based abroad like Chirag Patel or Skanda Vivek might throw a better light on this, especially since it requires addressing several key challenges and leveraging existing strengths:

1. Data Collection from Rural and Fringe Athletes: A significant challenge in India's sports sector is the limited data collection from rural and fringe athletes. Despite rural areas being a rich source of talent, as evidenced by the performance of rural athletes in events like the Tokyo Olympics, the majority of sports research focuses on the India specific demographics where 3% of athletes come from urban areas, leaving the majority chunk of 97% (65% fringe and 32% rural) largely undocumented. This gap highlights the urgent need for widespread and inclusive data collection networks.
2. Data Quality and Verification: Ensuring the quality and verification of collected data is crucial. It would take a while for establishing standardized protocols for data collection and analysis, ensuring data is representative, reliable and can be cross-referenced with global trends for enriched insights.
3. Infrastructure for Advanced Data Processing: The lack of infrastructure for sophisticated data processing and AI analysis must be addressed. This includes investing in computational resources and technology capable of handling large-scale data analysis and pattern recognition. It also would need a significant lot of Data Scientists & Engineers from within India, who can identify with the problems, to facilitate a solution.
4. Development of a Comprehensive Data Lake: We need a robust data lake that can provide simple to complex and cross-referenced data patterns, contributing to and deriving from global trends in sports analytics. This system would play a pivotal role in enhancing AI-driven sports analytics.
5. Government and Private Sector Collaboration: Collaborative efforts between government bodies, educational institutions, and private entities are essential in building a comprehensive AI framework in sports. Integrating AI and data analytics into sports programs at schools and colleges, especially in rural and fringe areas, would be an important step.
6. Harnessing India’s AI Potential: India's strength in AI innovation and adoption is evident from its rankings - 1st for ‘AI Adoption by Organizations’ and 7th for ‘Number of Newly Funded AI Companies’ according to the Stanford AI Index 2022. Leveraging these strengths for sports analytics can transform the sector.
7. Skilling and Education: As discussed in Kreedangan by Abhijit Dabhade , Ravishankar Sahu , Shiny Raizada , Rajashree Bhattacharyya & Dr. Tejal Kanwar focusing on education and skill development in AI and data science within the sports sector is crucial. This includes training programs for athletes, coaches, and sports administrators in data literacy and AI application.
8. Policy and Regulatory Framework: Developing a supportive policy and regulatory framework that encourages AI innovation in sports while addressing ethical considerations and data privacy concerns by Rajeev Chandrasekhar sir's MeitY Startup Hub , is essential.

If we could focus on these aspects and leverage India's AI prowess, the Indian sports sector can develop robust AI frameworks, harnessing the full potential of its diverse athletic talent and aligning with global technological advancements in sports analytics. To build effective AI frameworks in Indian sports, a two-pronged approach involving strategic planning and implementation is essential.

• Strategic Planning for AI Integration: The first step in developing effective AI frameworks in Indian sports involves comprehensive strategic planning. This requires mapping out the specific needs of various sports disciplines and understanding the unique challenges they face in India. A thorough assessment of existing infrastructure, talent pools, and technological capabilities must be conducted. In this phase, it's crucial to identify key areas where AI can have the most significant impact, such as talent identification in remote areas like StepOut , performance analytics for athletes at all levels similar to the work done by SportsKPI , injury prevention, and enhancing fan engagement like Fanisko or FanCode . Engaging stakeholders from across the sports ecosystem, including government bodies, sports federations, educational institutions and private sector players is critical for holistic planning. Additionally, establishing partnerships with international sports technology firms and AI research institutions can provide valuable insights and technology transfers.
• Implementation and Execution: The second phase focuses on executing the strategic plan. This involves setting up data collection networks across the country, with special emphasis on rural and fringe areas to capture a wide spectrum of athletic talent. Developing and deploying AI models tailored to Indian sports data is crucial. It requires establishing data centers and labs equipped with the necessary technology for processing and analyzing sports data. Investment in training and capacity building for sports professionals in AI and data analytics will be critical for effective implementation. Implementing ethical guidelines and privacy standards in data handling and AI applications will also be a priority. Regular monitoring and evaluation of AI initiatives in sports should be carried out to assess impact and recalibrate strategies as needed.

This approach ensures that AI frameworks in Indian sports are not only technologically advanced but also inclusive, ethical, and aligned with the broader goal of transforming India into a global sports powerhouse. Since we are discussing this in 2024, let's understand how all of this was understood in 2007 and SporTech Innovation Lab Pvt Ltd was built in 2021, after years of thought & validation, to address this very challenge.

How Does SporTech Fit into This

With my inherent interest in AI & its future applications, owing to my specialisation in it, I wanted to explore Indian archery & then Indian sports, through data but to my amazement, none was available. In 2007, the nation was getting accustomed to internet, computers and the advanced functioning of softwares but the world of sports was far behind for these. Cricket was matching the world, toe-to-toe, but the rest of the sports were suffering in the nascency of technological advancement. Even if I wanted data, I couldn't find any. I explored the same in 2011, then in 2015 then 2019. When covid hit the world & sports was forced into getting comfortable with technology, communication and data handling, the ground was fertile for me to finally start the spadework towards building the nation's sports data pool. Building the vision of a digitised, data enabled India Pinaze S Mitra (PhD) and I created SporTech Innovation Lab Pvt Ltd . Its purpose has been to facilitate the Indian Sports Ecosystem to stand on its feet, abreast with global behemoths.

SporTech Innovation Lab, through its initiatives and digital platforms under the guidance of Mitesh Kadvani and advice from Edward Francis Paul , is strategically positioned to address the pressing challenges in the Indian sports sector. By focusing on digitizing the sports ecosystem and creating a unified platform, SporTech is effectively bridging the gaps in data collection, processing, and accessibility. Our approach is geared towards inclusivity, ensuring that athletes from all regions, especially those from rural and fringe areas, are represented and have access to resources and opportunities, in their own languages. SporTech's endeavors in building a comprehensive, nationwide data network and analytics framework align with the need for high-quality, verifiable data essential for informed decision-making in sports. This initiative is particularly crucial in a landscape where the vast majority of athletes outside urban areas remain undocumented and underutilized. By leveraging technology for data collection and analysis, SporTech is paving the way for a more equitable and data-driven sports culture in India.

Moreover, our community development efforts, as exemplified by platforms like Indian Sports Room , Kreedangan , etc. reflect a commitment to fostering a vibrant sports community. These platforms likely provide a space for engagement, information sharing, conversations and community building, crucial for the holistic development of sports in the country. With SporTech, our vision and efforts have been in the making for transforming the Indian sports sector. Our focus on technological innovation, community engagement and inclusive development is geared towards creating a foundation for a more advanced, equitable and thriving sports ecosystem in India which will propel us forward in the global sports scene.

The Next 5 Years

"Size of Indian sports industry in coming years will touch nearly Rs 1 lakh crore."- Honourable PM Shri Narendra Modi ji in TamilNadu Khelo India Youth Games 2024

I'd have picked up two people I've looked up to in #indiansports Hemant Dua & Mahesh Ranka to talk on how India's sports sector, in the next five years, is poised for transformative growth, driven by government initiatives, increased investment, and a focus on harnessing technology for data integration. The vision is multifaceted, encompassing infrastructure development, nurturing talent, and integrating AI and digital technologies to elevate the country's sports profile globally.

• Infrastructure and Investment: The Government of India's commitment to transforming India into a global sports powerhouse is reflected in its mega-sports infrastructure projects and public-private partnerships. The sports industry has already witnessed a significant capital infusion, as exemplified by the Indian Premier League's success. This trend is expected to expand beyond cricket, encompassing diverse sports disciplines. State policies like Gujarat's sports policy further reinforce this commitment, aiming for growth in sports manufacturing and tourism.
• Financial Commitment: The Indian government's increased sports budget, with an 11.08% hike in 2022-23, signifies a stronger financial commitment towards nurturing sporting talent and infrastructure. This budget allocation is expected to support various initiatives, from grassroots programs to international competition preparations.
• Olympic Ambitions: India's bid to host the 2036 Summer Olympics is a key aspect of this vision. Hosting the Olympics would not only elevate India's status in the global sports community but also catalyze infrastructure development, increase sports participation, and boost the overall economy.
• Data Integration and AI: A critical component of India's sports development is the integration of AI and digital technologies. Efforts to establish comprehensive data networks, especially in rural and fringe areas, are crucial for tapping into the vast potential of undiscovered talent. Initiatives like Khelo India and other technological integrations in sports aim to create a data-rich environment that can nurture talent more effectively.
• Community Development and Inclusivity: The government's focus extends beyond infrastructure to building a more inclusive and community-oriented sports ecosystem. This involves ensuring that sports benefits reach all sections of society, fostering a culture of health, education, and inclusivity.

I've merely emphasized the pivotal importance of establishing an effective AI framework in Indian sports. In the next five years, a strategic pathway must be developed, focusing on building robust AI systems, enhancing data collection and analytics, and integrating these technologies into diverse sports disciplines. This approach should be supported by substantial infrastructure development, policy enhancements and dedicated financial investments. The aim is not just to advance India's sports sector technologically but also to ensure inclusivity and excellence, thereby positioning India as a significant player on the global sports stage. Let us hope we can build for #indiansports what it needs, the way it gave us what we needed!

Hakimuddin Habibulla OLY | Pankaj Markandey | Sanjana Kiran | Andrew Petcash | Jo?o Gon?alo Cunha | Kirby Porter | Paul R. | Rajaraman G | Prashant Joglekar | Daivik Bhatia | Rajat Chauhan | Aniruddha Atul Bhagwat | Swathi Bhojaraj | Pranav Khot | Pranav Yadav . | Dr. Mona Nargolwala | Mona Motwani | Aneesh Surender Madani |