IBM and The All England Lawn Tennis Club have unveiled a new feature for the Wimbledon digital experience that uses match data with generative AI from IBM’s AI and data platform, watsonx, to keep fans updated on players as they advance through The Championships.
The ‘Catch Me Up’ feature displays pre- and post-match player cards (pictured above) with AI-generated player stories and analysis. It will be available via wimbledon.com and the Wimbledon 2024 App.
Player cards will be personalised based on user preferences and data such as their location and myWimbledon profile, starting with their favourite players.
Pre-match content will include analysis of recent performance and likelihood to win predictions, and post-match it will include key statistics and highlights. The feature will also create longer-form daily summaries of play.
‘Catch Me Up’ was built using IBM’s Granite large language model (LLM) to provide AI-generated text using the capabilities of the watsonx platform. The model has been trained on the Wimbledon editorial style and will be monitored by the All England Club.
Wimbledon will also use generative AI this year to provide coverage of a broader range of matches than was previously available, including wheelchair events.
This will form part of a redesigned digital match centre, known as IBM Slamtracker, available on the Wimbledon App and wimbledon.com.
IBM Slamtracker will provide bullet point-based match previews and post-match reviews for ladies’ and gentlemen’s singles matches.
Chris Clements, digital products lead at the All England Club, said: “We are committed to offering fans the highest quality Wimbledon experience, whether it’s in person or digitally. Generative AI allows us to scale our ability to provide different types of content for fans wherever they are in the world in a way that’s personalised for them. This year’s new Catch Me Up feature will make it easier for fans to follow the key storylines as they emerge throughout The Championships.”
Jonathan Adashek, senior vice president of marketing and communications for IBM, added: “The new Catch Me Up feature is an exciting example of how we can use the power of generative AI to deliver compelling, insight-driven storytelling at scale. For 35 years, IBM and Wimbledon have been co-creating solutions that make fans feel more connected to all the on-court action, and our new research confirms they are beginning to understand the positive impact technologies such as generative AI can have on their digital experiences. IBM is also putting these same technologies from our AI and data platform watsonx into the hands of clients worldwide, across nearly every sector, to address their unique business needs.”
The Championships, Wimbledon will run from 1-14 July, 2024.
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