NBC is further incorporating artificial intelligence into its sports offerings.
The TV network’s sports division, NBC Sports, said it has partnered with tech startup MOVRS to test its generative AI-enabled platform to “create more engaging content and visualizations” for its productions.
This comes after NBC Sports Next’s SportsEngine announced last month that it would start using production company Pixellot’s AI-automated cameras at local venues to cut costs and improve streaming quality.
Live sports content is in high demand and over the last year the possibilities offered by AI have captivated both companies and the public. With streaming services locking down rights to live sports, the competition for viewers is heating up. AI provides the opportunity to present an improved product to draw in customers.
MOVRS’ tech will create sport-specific data for NBC Sports to polish and enhance its programming in real time.
“The ability to capture precise athlete movement and generate real-time data points to create impactful content without subjecting the athlete to an intrusive measurement device or requiring huge camera arrays is exciting,” Amy Rosenfeld, senior vice president of NBC Sports’ Olympic and Paralympic Production, said in a statement. “MOVRS has simplified the process and provided us with the capabilities and expertise to engage the viewers in a new and innovative way.”
So far, MOVRS has used its software to capture data and generate content for golf, soccer, tennis, track and field, football and gymnastics.
“When we think about the future of the live sports experience, we see endless possibilities to bring the fan into the action with our AI-powered approach,” Nicole DeFord, MOVRS’ executive vice president of production and operations, said in a statement.
NBC isn’t the only company folding AI into its sports content.
In August, it was reported that Amazon would use AI in its weekly Thursday Night Football games. The integration would allow viewers to see a second on-screen line that will indicate when a team should punt or go for it on fourth down, as determined by AI.
In addition, YouTube TV won its first Technology and Engineering Emmy for its use of AI in sports highlights.
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