Dubai Sports Council (DSC) organized "Dubai International Artificial intelligence Forum in Sport" on Tuesday 25th June 2024, in collaboration with the Global Sports Innovation Center (GSIC).
The Forum, which was held under title "Toward Sports Future Industry", reviewed the latest & most prominent artificial intelligence experiences & applications, used in the global sports corporations, specialized in this field.
The International Artificial intelligence Forum in Sport aimed to show the most eminent experiences in the uses of the artificial intelligence in sport, create links among local sports corporations & global companies in the sports innovation fields and introduce investment opportunities & existing facilities in the artificial intelligence in Dubai.
The Forum was addressed by H.E. Saeed Hareb, the Secretary General of DSC, and Mr. Sebastian Lancestremere, Director of Sports Management & Strategic Partnerships at Microsoft, in the presence of H.E. Naser Aman Al-Rahma, the Assistant Secretary General of DSC. The event was joined by the biggest global companies, specialized in the uses of artificial intelligence & innovation in sport.
The Forum was also addressed by elite of decision makers in global technology & artificial intelligence companies; top of whom are Mr. Armand Penaud, Director of Strategic Partnerships & Enterprises Development in the GSIC / Mr. Iñigo Bonilla Manager of Development at Sportian Co., which functions in data & figure analysis in the Spanish Football League "LaLiga" & specialized in sports artificial intelligence / officials in several other companies specialized in this scope.
H.E. Saeed Hareb stated: "We are pleased to collaborate with the most prominent & famous international corporations to exchange thoughts, proposals & experiences and to work together to develop the sports sector & to create better future for sport through ideal investment in artificial intelligence. The UAE has successfully managed through the last years to enhance its global status in various artificial intelligence scopes, and it is therefore classified among the top countries which support the sports artificial intelligence applications in all fields of life. UAE is top on the list of the Arab & Gulf countries, and it comes 28th in the global rank regarding the world artificial intelligence indicator. The UAE Government has launched the artificial intelligence strategy aiming to depend fully on artificial intelligence in services & data analysis by 2031. The country with its various vital sector will thus become the first in the world in the artificial intelligence investment and will benefit from the scientific development to boost its status, achievements and solid economy".
He added: "Dubai has enhanced its status in this field, thanks to the wise leadership’s vision & support besides the Emirate’s hard work as per a leading method to develop a proactive role model. Dubai has also launched initiatives, strategies & plans endeavoring to secure its global status in this field, and it has allocated huge investments in the artificial intelligence field to become a global leader. The Emirate has also created the post of the CEO of Artificial Intelligence in each government entity in Dubai as part of the first package of Dubai annual plan. It has established the first lab of its kind for artificial intelligence to accelerate the conversion process in Dubai to become the smartest city in the globe. The Emirate has launched policies & legislations to scout, attract & develop talents in all fields".
H.E. Saeed Hareb concluded: "The sports sector exerted efforts to boost this policy and to benefit from the motivating environment in the country and from the technological development in various fields besides the horizons of its great growth through the technologies of the fifth generation, so that the country becomes an international destination for the uses of artificial intelligence in the sports field. Therefore, Dubai Sports Council was among the first entities which focused on the relation between artificial intelligence and sports performance. The 1st edition of the Dubai Artificial Intelligence Sports Conference (DAIS) was accordingly organized with participation of global specialists in the fields of artificial intelligence and sport. We are so pleased to continue these efforts in collaboration with leading global companies, top of which is Microsoft Co. We hope that this cooperation will yield tangible results, looking forward for a positive impact in terms of sports performance and achieved results. We also hope to make the field of artificial intelligence an essential part of the activities of the sports sector in Dubai and its operational systems and to use this innovative technology to discover new tracks, through which we can create a new promising future".
Mr. Sebastian Lancastermeyer reviewed the current uses of artificial intelligence in sports, especially in the field of construction and uses of stadiums and gyms, and in the fields of television telecasting & sponsorships, besides analysis of athletes’ performance. He provided examples on the ability of the artificial intelligence to increase the effectiveness of each of these sectors and to obtain the greatest benefits to clubs, organizers, sponsors and broadcasters, in addition to providing information services and quality television broadcasts that bring enjoyment and benefit to viewers.
Mr. Sebastian mentioned that some sports facilities host more than 380 events annually, at a rate of more than one event per day, whether in the sports, entertainment, or promotional scopes. The artificial intelligence applications and solutions contribute to the organization of these events with high efficiency and providing services to all beneficiaries. He also provided examples of technological solutions that contribute to increasing the space allocated for promotions to sponsors and products in various languages, based on the region where the television broadcast is received. He talked on ways to create a more beautiful atmosphere for followers on television to follow events through multiple translations and providing real-time data on participating players and statistics that satisfy the public’s desire to be acquainted with integrated information about their favorite athletes, and many other artificial intelligence applications.
In conclusion of the first session, H.E. Saeed Hareb presented DSC’s Shield to Mr. Sebastian Lancastermeyer in recognition to his remarkable efforts., and thanked him for his exciting presentation on the best uses of artificial intelligence in the most eminent sports championships. The guest was accompanied in a tour around DSC’s premises where he was acquainted with the Council’s departments & sections besides the Innovation Lab and the Stars’ Mural, which includes the most prominent global stars who visited Dubai and attended the various events of Dubai International Sports Conference.
Mr. Iñigo Bonilla reviewed the role of Sportian Co. in developing the data analysis process and the use of artificial intelligence in the sports reporting industry in LaLiga, besides the most eminent world sports championships such as the World Cup, the American Basketball League (NBA) and other top championships. He unveiled the eminent role of the company to provide information, statistics, results and the most eminent footages of the top world championships to enhance better experiences for fans in following competitions with providing of accurate & fast information.
The speakers focused on the most advanced scientific research & reviewed the latest technological innovations. They also sought ways to unify & create new partnerships in the field of artificial intelligence applications in sports. This gathering provided unique opportunities for communication & cooperation alongside high-level participation of decision makers at the most prominent companies specialized in the field of the sports artificial intelligence.
The Forum was held with participation of huge numbers of the staff working in public & private sports companies & clubs / sports academies / companies dealing with sports artificial intelligence / universities specialized in artificial intelligence / coaches / technical, medical & administrative staff in sports teams / owners & managers of sports facilities / organizers of sports events / several experts & specialists in the sports field.