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Game, Set, Match with AI and 5G

Gaurav Gopal, VP, Regional Head, CMT & SURE, Infosys, in conversation with Finn Bradshaw, Head of Digital Strategy, Tennis Australia

Technology is playing an increasingly important role on the performance front by enabling coaches and athletes prepare better against their opponents, and improve their game.

Finn Bradshaw, Head of Digital Strategy, Tennis Australia, believes that while technology has a big impact on the performance side, data and AI help greatly in enhancing fan experience.

5G and AI will have an incredible impact on the entire industry built around consumption of sport.

Tennis fans will agree, that it is a mighty engrossing game, and staying on the edge of your seat is a part of the excitement the game generates. And organizers of Australian Open, one of the biggest Tennis Grand Slams, are privy to this evident, yet deep insight.

In a discussion with Gaurav Gopal, VP, Regional Head, CMT (Communication, Media & Technology) & SURE (Services, Utilities, Resources, Energy), Infosys, Finn Bradshaw, Head of Digital Strategy, Tennis Australia, speaks about how technology is playing an increasingly important role on the performance front by enabling coaches and athletes prepare better against their opponents, and improve their game.

Bradshaw believes that while technology has a big impact on the performance side, data and AI help greatly in enhancing fan experience. “The two big drivers for data and AI is (that it’s) enabling fans to get a greater insight into the moments that really drive the outcome of a match,” he notes, adding that this is particularly true for a game such as tennis, which has probably lagged behind some other sports in the data capability space for some time. And the data boost would surely generate interest among viewers.

Additionally, he says, AI capabilities are essential to enhance audience experience with features like quick creation of highlights.

Bradshaw is also excited about how 5G will have an incredible impact on the entire industry built around consumption of sport.

“People want to watch, what they want to watch, when they want to watch it. That's not going to change,” he says. What will however change, in his opinion, is the quality of experience that people will get through 5G, something that would be comparable to the traditional cable TV experience.

The challenge on digital is two-fold, according to Bradshaw.

“How can we take that experience to the world and, and make the Australian Open (AO) brand synonymous with world class experiences? And then secondly, how can we use technology to make the onsite experience better? …Seamless is the word you probably want to use.” he says.

“So, the next one is then, ‘What are the other friction points for people when they come to an event?’, and hacking digital help remove those,” says Bradshaw.

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