LaLiga Tech, Globant & Microsoft partner on GenAI in sport broadcasting

LaLiga Tech, Globant, and Microsoft are collaborating on bringing generative AI solutions into sport and broadcasting.

The trio hope to, “enhance the experience of fans around the world by automatically generating new, personalized content, and to deliver immersive new materials for broadcasters.” 

Among the projects that the trio are working on is near real time multi language subtitles, focused on the automatic generation of multilingual subtitles adapted in near real time for all live sports matches using technologies such as Whisper and GPT 3.5, generating additional inclusive features including options for people with hearing impairment. 

Another is automatic sports content translations, helping sports organizations to increase their engagement with global fans by automatically translating their content into different languages using GPT 3.5 and GPT 4. There is also the aim to create match briefings and highly personalized content tailored to fans and clubs, using GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 with the target to strengthen fan engagement and reduce churn by providing more relevant content. 

Finally, there is mediacoach metrics, updating LaLiga Tech’s sports data visualization platform to provide additional real-time metrics to each team’s head coach and their assistants. New contextualized stats are being developed and evolved by reviewing images from the perimeter cameras used for capturing all player and ball movements.

These will use Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI Service to access to AI models (including OpenAI GPT-4 and GPT-3.5), combined with Azure business services and AI-optimized infrastructure.

These solutions will be used beyond just football, with basketball, rugby, and tennis all named as other sports that it could be applied to.

AI has been growing in use across broadcasting, with mixed results. Wimbledon used AI-powered commentary for matches that otherwise wouldn’t have commentary earlier this summer, while Sky News tested an AI reporter earlier in the year and found it made “critical mistakes”.

Agustin Huerta, SVP of technology of Globant, said: “For a decade, Artificial Intelligence and data have been an integral part of Globant’s vision and been applied across the company to deploy solutions that increase productivity and efficiency. Through LaLiga Tech, our joint venture with LaLiga, and partnership with Microsoft, we are working to extend these solutions to the sport industry. The first tests have proven to be disruptive and successful; this is a very exciting moment in sport technology and the transformation the wider sports industry.”

Gonzalo Zarza, chief data officer at LaLiga Tech, added: “LaLiga Tech brings together Globant’s technological capabilities and LaLiga’s sporting expertise to create a unique landscape that places sports reinvention at the core of its activity.”

Ignacio León, enterprise commercial lead of Microsoft Spain, commented: “At Microsoft, we are pleased to work with LaLiga Tech and Globant on this initiative to help transform sports through Artificial Intelligence and the power of Azure. Our relationship with LALIGA represents a significant milestone in our longstanding collaboration, where we have successfully developed digital products and solutions that have redefined the landscape of sports and entertainment. We are excited about the possibilities that AI brings to this area, and we remain committed to using our technology to drive positive change and enhance the sports industry for everyone involved.”