Introducing Discover AI: A new sportanddev initiative
In an era marked by rapid technological advancements, the International Platform on Sport and Development (sportanddev) is excited to announce its latest initiative, Discover AI. Curated in collaboration with Ready Sport Global (READY), Discover AI provides comprehensive resources and insights designed to deepen understanding of AI and explore how AI can be harnessed to benefit sport for development practitioners, organisations, and communities. This initiative comes at a critical time when AI, often sparking both excitement and apprehension, is increasingly tranforming industries and society, with sport for development being no exception.
AI, defined as the creation of intelligent systems capable of solving complex problems, has roots that stretch back to the 1950s. Since then, it has evolved from a theoretical concept into a powerful tool that, in recent years, has been accelerated by the development and availability of big data, cloud computing, and deep learning models.
In the sports industry, AI is being used to enhance athlete performance, maximise commercial and operational activities among sports organisations, and improve fan experiences. By analysing vast amounts of data at lightening speed, AI has unleashed a whole range of possibilities, including strategic decision-making, personalised training and enriching experiences.
AI in sport for development
One of the most promising aspects of AI that is relevant to sport for development is its potential to democratise access to advanced tools and resources. For example, AI can make sophisticated data analysis accessible to smaller organisations (NGOs, women’s sport, community sport), which often operate with limited resources.
Furthermore, AI is set to be a game-changer for sport for development organisations by optimising operations and enhancing their impact. Early examples include the use of digital avatars for scalable and personalised education, the elimination of online abuse and discrimination to promote positive online communities, and the AI platforms that support with functions such as curriculum development and fundraising.
As AI technology continues to evolve and become more mainstream and affordable, its role in sport for development is poised to expand. With Discover AI, sportanddev invites its community to embrace this technological shift and explore the possibilities that AI offers to equalise and enhance the sector, ultimately benefiting organisations and the communities they serve.
sportanddev and READY are open to partners and funding to support this work, including providing Discover AI in multiple languages, ensuring tools and resources remain open access and supporting a campaign on AI and sport for development.
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