Artificial intelligence is changing the world of sports. From player performance to in-play analytics, AI is present in most sports today. However, one question remains: could AI actually replace human coaches or referees in the sport of sports?
The answer is no. Not entirely. Instead, depending on what is required for these roles, AI can fulfill some of the duties of coaches and referees, but it will never be able to fulfill all of them.
AI as a “Super-Coach”
AI is already used in most professional sports leagues like the NBA and NFL to analyze players and opponents. The information gathered from these players and teams allows the AI to come up with the best play for the team.
In this way, AI acts as if it were a “super-coach,” one that can analyze games and plays at the speed of light and retain all of the information gathered about that sport. It does, however, have limitations.
AI cannot offer the same motivation to players as a coach could. A coach understands each player on the field, can work with their emotions, and can gain the trust of each player. AI cannot work with players and teams on an individual basis. It cannot inspire others like a coach can.
So where does this leave coaches and AI? AI will assist coaches in their efforts to win matches. However, coaches will always be needed in the sports world.
AI referees?
Technology like Hawk-Eye is already replacing referees in sports like tennis and soccer. These sports use automated systems that track the position of the ball to the nearest millimeter. These systems can call offsides in soccer and track the position of the ball in tennis matches to the nearest millimeter.
Tennis tournaments have even replaced line judges with these automated systems.
The pros and cons of using AI referees include the following:
Pros:
✅ No bias in officiating
✅ More accurate officiating with less margin for human error
Cons:
❌ Some calls are more subjective than others
❌ There is a human element to sports that fans seem to enjoy
These pros and cons mean that AI referees could realistically replace others in specific sports. However, full replacement would be harder for sports that require more human judgment.
The Human Element of Sports
Sports are more than just a way for teams and players to win matches. There are a multitude of human dramas that play out in most sports matches.
Without the controversial officiating calls, the sports drama that occurs between coaches, or the need to use perfectly-optimized strategies for each match, sports might lose some of the appeal for fans.
AI will not replace coaches and referees in sports. However, it will change the way sports are played and experienced.
The Data Dynamo 