Can you imagine discovering future Olympic talents solely through a smartphone camera? Intel has made it possible!
Intel has collaborated with the International Olympic Committee and the Senegal National Olympic Committee to develop a remarkable AI platform. This application enables talent scouts to no longer rely on expensive professional equipment; all they need is a smartphone camera to monitor athletes.
It utilizes computer vision to analyze video clips of athletes' performances, then generates statistics based on their performance, which talent scouts can use to evaluate potential future Olympic stars. Caroline Rhoads, the Olympic and Paralympic Partnership Marketing Manager of Intel's Sales, Marketing, and Communications Group, said: "This AI platform for talent identification not only uncovers hidden talents but also helps bridge existing gaps."
In March this year, Senegal was the first to deploy this application, with coaches using it to scout talents for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games held in the capital, Dakar. This smartphone application was deployed in six villages in Senegal, analyzing the physical abilities of over 1,000 children.
The analysis takes only a few minutes but provides coaches with over 1,000 biomechanical data points regarding factors such as speed, agility, and acceleration. The application also identified 40 promising athletes who showed "significant talent."
To successfully deploy this application in remote areas, Intel's other technologies are also required, including Xeon processors for video processing and Gaudi AI accelerators to enhance model training efficiency.
The International Olympic Committee has long seen AI as a key new tool for identifying the next generation of Olympic athletes. The organization announced earlier this year that it plans to launch a global project in 2025, using technology to discover future sports stars. Bach said that this project ensures the organization "fulfills our commitment that AI in sports must be accessible to all."
Key Points:
- 😀 Intel collaborates with multiple parties to develop an AI platform capable of identifying future Olympic talents.
- 😃 Senegal has taken the lead in deploying the application, analyzing over a thousand children and identifying 40 promising athletes.
- 😄 The International Olympic Committee plans to launch a global project utilizing this technology to discover sports stars.