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The Different Applications of AI in Sports

Will Brown by Will Brown, April 08, 2025

AI application in football

The use of AI in sports has radically transformed the industry over the past decade, with its impact now witnessed at every level of competition. As the technology exponentially grows, so too is its potential to change how teams are drafted, how players are trained, how games are played, and how games are refereed. In this guide, we’ve explored the many different areas that artificial intelligence has been integrated into in modern sports and the future of the technology.

Intro to Artificial Intelligence in Sports

While the use of artificial intelligence in the sports industry is now a well-known fact, its current implementation is the result of many years of development. To kick off this guide, we’ve discussed the rise of AI’s use in sports over the last 10 years.

We’ve then looked at the different areas in which it has been utilized, including training, strategizing, talent acquisition, refereeing, and fan engagement. To round out this guide, we’ve discussed some potential future applications of the technology and what it means for the sports industry.

The Rise of Artificial Intelligence in the Sports Industry

While statistics have in some way been used by sports organizations since the late 19th century, more sophisticated applications didn’t start to arise until the 1990s. As was detailed in Michael Lewis’ groundbreaking book “Moneyball”, more refined systems of data analysis could be used to create competitive teams on a budget.

One of the most promising components of artificial intelligence is its ability to analyze huge volumes of data to find patterns, identify problems, and create predictions much faster than humanly possible. This has made it an especially powerful tool for major sports leagues and teams looking to improve their competitive edge and talent pool.

In the early 21st century, analysis technologies such as tennis’s Hawk-Eye computer vision tracking and the NBA’s SportVU’s ball and player tracking became widely adopted. Now, everyone from sports scientists to broadcasters uses some form of artificial intelligence as a tool, with AI in sports now a fundamental aspect of major stakeholders’ operations.

AI in Athlete Training

The integration of artificial intelligence in sports training has revolutionized how athletes physically and mentally prepare for peak performance. Aided by everything from motion tracking technology to wearables, coaches can formulate specific regimes for individuals. These can do everything from identifying erroneous playing habits to detecting injury risks.

Technology such as the Whoop band and FORM goggles have built-in computers that use artificial intelligence to compile and analyze an array of metrics that can help athletes. For example, the US Olympic swimming team used FORM goggles that could guage stroke rates, heart rates, split times, and body positions, offering insights into what could be adjusted for improved performance.

Another common tool is computer vision technology. This uses multiple cameras to track an athlete’s training or competitive performance, creating a 3D biomechanical model for analysis. This allows accurate insights into posture or techniques and provides adjustment recommendations, as well as highlights poor form that could lead to injuries.

The major intelligence firm Kitman Labs now works with thousands of sports organizations, including rugby and professional soccer teams, to provide valuable, holistic insights into performance medicine. The product can easily create detailed rehabilitation programs that are suited to the unique situation of individuals, which ensures the prolonged health of players.

Of course, it’s not just physical training that has been improved by artificial intelligence in the sports industry. Several clubs have been using AI systems that can analyze players’ brain activity during tense on-field scenarios, with sports psychologists able to interpret these responses to improve player’s mental resilience.

Enhancing Strategy

The predictive components of AI technology have had a profound impact on how sports teams can strategize to overcome opponents. Whether used in training or during competitions, artificial intelligence software has the ability to analyze players and competitors and offer suggestions on how to change course and deploy new approaches.

This is already being witnessed in Formula 1, with Red Bull using the Epicor software. This can detect patterns in competitors’ behavior and find gaps to exploit. One of the biggest advantages is that these rapid calculations can save time, which is of huge importance in a race where fractions of a second make a difference.

Major US sports teams such as the NBA’s Golden State Warriors and the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens are also known to use real-time AI analysis of games. These can analyze the opponent’s defensive and offensive formations and offer suggestions for strategy adjustments to overcome the predicted plays.

Some may argue that one of the disadvantages of AI in sports is that it has a dehumanizing effect on decision-making or may make competitions unfair. However, as more teams adopt these tools, we expect that betting at the top online sportsbooks could become more interesting for viewers as more unconventional and creative scenarios arise.

Talent Discovery and Acquisition

One of the most exciting developments regarding how is AI used in sports is its applications for talent discovery and acquisition. Already, it has been used to identify little-known players in remote corners of the world that have promising performance data and have the potential to become successful athletes.

In the past, talent scouts may have been influenced by elements such as personal biases, intuition, or tunnel vision. However, by adopting a data-driven approach, clubs can not only make decisions based on cold hard facts but even estimate their development trajectory. Certain metrics may indicate untapped potential, with new coaching models or team dynamics integral to them reaching their potential.

One such platform that has partnered with Premier League and Major League Soccer teams is aiScout. Interestingly, the app can be downloaded by amateur footballers, who are prompted to complete specific drills and upload match footage. This can then be analyzed by sports teams, creating a pipeline between overlooked talent and club managers.

AI-Assisted Refereeing

We’ve all watched a sporting event only to be enraged by a poor decision by a referee. While for most of sporting history, this potential for human error has been an accepted reality, the use of AI in sports decision-making could make this a thing of the past.

Its implementation is already well underway, with international soccer leading the example. First used in 2016, the video assistant referees (VAR) system utilizes AI to track the movements of all players on the field. It can then detect missed incidents or correct obvious errors to create a fairer game.

In 2024, the English Premier League implemented a refined artificial intelligence system to recognize offside violations in seconds, shaving minutes off the game by eradicating prolonged referee discussions. Likewise, the NFL revealed in 2025 that its Hawk-Eye systems would be used to make calls on “line to gain”, potentially eliminating the sport’s chain gang.

Fan Enagement

The use of artificial intelligence in sports broadcasting has already become standard across most major sporting codes, though many fans may not recognize it. The NBA was an early adopter, as the league used an AI-driven model to quickly find game highlights and package them for fans to easily digest.

Another interesting application was the Spanish La Liga’s partnership with Microsoft for the Beyond Stats system. This gave fans access to real-time player metrics, even going as far as to offer statistical predictions on a striker’s goal probability or to track the distance of players on the field.

This enhanced data that is accessible to fans is already having a strong impact on fan engagement, not to mention its many benefits for sports bettors and fantasy sports players. The AI-analyzed data that broadcasters receive from fan engagement can also help them refine their products to ensure that audiences are shown what interests them.

Future Applications of AI

While the use of artificial intelligence in sectors such as entertainment and human resources is surrounded by controversy, the sports industry has appeared to embrace its use. Some argue that its implementation could help to even the playing field between smaller clubs and wealthy giants, much as the Moneyball system did decades ago.

We predict that AI in sports will become the norm within the next few years, improving everything from the viewing experience to player health. It will also impact how sports are scheduled. Climate-adaptive AI models will be utilized frequently to predict weather variations, helping organizers prepare sporting grounds and create more comfortable schedules for spectators.

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