AI Officiating in Sports: Enhancing Accuracy, Facing Limitations

Jun 04, 2025
Scientific American
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Summary

Major sports leagues like the NBA, MLB, and ATP are using AI-powered motion capture and algorithms to assist referees, but limitations in speed, accuracy, and visual processing remain, requiring continued human oversight for key calls.

Key Points

  • Major sports leagues like the NBA, MLB, ATP, and European soccer leagues are using AI and motion capture technology to assist with officiating calls.
  • These AI systems can make calls more reliable but have limitations like delays, inaccuracies due to visual distractions, and errors introduced by human intervention.
  • While AI can aid the decision-making process, human referees still play a vital role, and the technology should be utilized as a tool rather than a complete replacement.

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