Alexis Ohanian believes sports will not be affected by the rise of AI

In a recent tweet from Reddit co-founder and Serena Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian, he addressed the notion that AI might soon dominate various industries, including sports. He wrote, “Even when the tech catches up (and it will), we’ll still prefer to see humans competing in sports.”

This was in response to a tweet made by @deedydas that included an AI-generated simulation of gymnastic routines. The video was far from accurate and often featured two sets of legs instead of an actual body. Deedy commented, “Gymnastics is the Turing test of video generation models,” highlighting the complexity and precision required in gymnastics, making it challenging for AI to replicate it accurately. Referring to the fact that since gymnastics is very precise and fast, the AI model needs to be quite advanced to generate accurate videos. 

Suni Lee’s recent performance at the trials was nothing short of excellence. Her prowess in the balance beam and uneven bars shined through as she secured second highest scores. Lee also attempted to transition from a move called Nabieva to a twist called Bhardwaj. She even demonstrated strong tumbling skills which made her stand out. On the other hand, Simone Biles performed a massive Biles II skill during her first pass on the vault. Additionally, she performed the iconic Yurchenko double pike, garnering standing ovation. Where Lee is more artistic in her style, Simone is all about technicality and pulling off difficult routines.

However, AI will most likely never be able to offer athletes strengths, weaknesses or quirks. It will be a bland display across the board. Furthermore not only is each gymnasts style different, so is their story. For example, Simone Biles’ rise to success becomes even more special when you find out that she comes from poverty. Or Suni Lee becomes such a beacon of inspiration when taking into account that only about a year ago, she was diagnosed with a kidney disease that caused her to gain 40 pounds in water weight. AI can definitely never replace these kinds of stories. 

AI’s impact on sports: Current trends and future prospects

Just because AI generated videos are a hit or miss does not mean it has no place in the industry. AI has been particularly helpful during player performance, injury prevention as well as fan engagement. One important feature is for each individual athlete to study trends in their opponents’ performances and make informed decisions about how to train in order to beat that competition. Additionally there are wearable devices powered by artificial intelligence. It enables monitoring of movement patterns and biomechanical efficiency. It also monitors health status and exertion to prevent injury. 

One very important way that AI is integrated in sports is using it while judging. It helps to create a completely bias-free and fair judging mechanism. It can be used to call fouls, track balls and strike locations. However AI cannot ( yet ) replace athletes in any meaningful way. Most current models are not able to produce videos of athletes playing sports that are accurate, follow all rules, do not glitch and are enjoyable to watch. Audiences tune in for the thrill and grit of humans in action, not awkwardly moving simulations across the screen. It especially cannot replace the artistry of sports like gymnastics where Simone Biles, Suni Lee and others pour their heart and soul into the routines.