Allez Australia! AI and the next frontier in sporting excellence

As Australia cheers on our athletes at the world’s biggest sporting event, the world is anticipating new records set and celebrating superhuman feats.

At Fujitsu, we experience this contagious excitement through a technology lens, recognising the transformative potential of technologies such as artificial intelligence to improve fairness, accelerate human excellence and increase fan engagement in sports.

From photo finish to AI

Sport has always been intertwined with technology. From the early days of the photo finish, technology has played a crucial role in elevating sports to the next level. The evolution from rudimentary tools to sophisticated systems like Hawk-Eye in tennis illustrates this ongoing progression. And in this technological age, AI represents another leap forward, poised to further revolutionise the sporting landscape.

A showcase for AI in sports

Sporting organisations worldwide, including the International Olympic Committee, are embracing AI as a key component of their vision for the future of sports with their AI Agenda. The global event serves as a positive platform to demonstrate how AI can work hand in hand with humans to propel the sporting arena.

As technologists leading the adoption of AI solutions across various industries to solve complex issues and improve existing systems, these are some of the AI applications that are, and will have, an immense impact on sport.

AI for enhanced officiating to improve fairness and trust

In any competition, the ability for judges to make an accurate call is crucial. At a global sporting level where a judge’s decision can mean the difference between a gold or silver medal, the stakes are even higher.

With the advancements in sporting technology, judges and umpires today leverage the vast amount of information and data fed through cameras and analysed through AI to make accurate, time-sensitive decisions to improve the fairness and outcomes of competitions.

When the most decorated gymnast in history Simone Biles returned to the international stage in Antwerp last October, Fujitsu’s AI-powered Judging Support System collected and analysed her performance data.

AI for athlete training

AI-driven technology is revolutionising athletic training by providing highly personalised solutions for athletes and their coaching teams. Through advanced analysis of athlete information gathered from past performances and training sessions, as well as physiological and psychological data, AI can co-design customised programs for each athlete to help them unlock their full potential.

Fujitsu is collaborating with a sports academy in Sydney to implement our Vision AI system, which offers real-time feedback on cricket bowling actions. This will help prevent sports injuries and enhance bowling techniques. The AI will identify issues in bowlers' actions and present this analysis on a dashboard. We plan to scale this solution to analyse batting actions as well.

Complementing the AI-enhanced training is the use of wearable AI devices equipped with smart sensors. These offer real-time feedback on various performance metrics such as biomechanics and fatigue levels, allowing athletes to make immediate adjustments to their training regimens. Additionally, AI's ability to identify potential injury risks early enables proactive interventions, which helps reduce downtime and supports long-term athletic health.

AI for sports strategy

While thousands of fans cheer on their favourite players on the court or field, cameras and sensors are collecting game day footage which is analysed by AI to inform the coaching teams on everything from player performance during a match compared to that in training, and more importantly, the level of success of on-field tactics deployed.

AI can assist coaching teams to analyse different formations and strategies based on historical data and simulations, testing various game plans, and evaluating their potential effectiveness before implementing them in actual games.

This new age of gameplay strategy is being used by teams to forecast player performance, game outcomes and even potential injuries, giving teams a unique competitive edge.

Committed to shaping the future of sports

Beyond what we experience today, Fujitsu believes the potential applications of AI in sports is virtually limitless. For scouting and recruitment, AI will enhance decision-making by offering data-driven insights into a recruit’s performance.

In analysing fan engagement, broadcast companies will use AI to deliver automated and personalised storytelling, enriching the viewing experience. AI will also advance fair play by improving doping detection through data analysis that identifies unusual patterns suggestive of performance-enhancing drug use.

We’re excited to collaborate with sporting organisations to continue unlocking human potential through AI and other technologies. We believe AI has the power to transform the sporting landscape, enabling athletes to reach new heights, fans to engage in unprecedented ways, and the industry to thrive on innovation.

As the world watches their favourite sports, AI is no longer a futuristic concept but a powerful force shaping the future of sports. Fujitsu is excited to play a part, working with organisations to harness AI’s transformative potential and create a brighter, more dynamic future for sports.