Globant, a major player in IT services, has joined forces with Spain's prominent football league, LaLiga, in a strategic partnership with Microsoft to usher in a new era of artificial intelligence (AI) services tailored for the sports sector.
LaLiga's ongoing collaboration with Microsoft spans numerous years, and it recently embarked on a joint venture with Globant to accelerate the development and commercialization of groundbreaking innovations emerging from its in-house LaLiga Tech division.
In this latest collaborative effort, LaLiga is set to construct a comprehensive suite of AI-driven tools that will initially target areas such as coaching, fan engagement, and broadcasting within the realm of soccer. The initiative will subsequently extend its influence to other sports such as basketball, rugby union, and tennis. Facilitating the creation and expansion of these products, Microsoft will grant LaLiga Tech access to Microsoft Azure's OpenAI Service, encompassing advanced models such as OpenAI GPT-4, a spectrum of business-oriented services, and cloud infrastructure optimized for AI.
Initial projects under this partnership encompass near-real-time multilanguage subtitles designed to enhance live event accessibility for fans with hearing impairments. Moreover, automatic sports content translations are in the works, enabling sports organisations of all sizes to tap into a global audience.
Building upon the foundation of its existing Mediacoach application, LaLiga will introduce new real-time statistics. Additionally, the league plans to leverage GPT technology to generate novel content formats aimed at fostering deeper fan engagement with both clubs and content.
Ignacio León, Enterprise Commercial Lead of Microsoft Spain, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating, "At Microsoft, we are pleased to work with LaLiga Tech and Globant on this initiative to help transform sports through artificial intelligence and the power of Azure.
We are excited about the possibilities that AI brings to this area, and we remain committed to using our technology to drive positive change and enhance the sports industry for everyone involved."
Agustin Huerta, Senior of Technology at Globant, emphasised the company's decade-long commitment to AI and data integration for enhancing efficiency across various sectors. He remarked, "Through LaLiga Tech, our joint venture with LaLiga, and partnership with Microsoft, we are working to extend these solutions to the sport industry. The first tests have proven to be disruptive and successful; this is a very exciting moment in sport technology and the transformation of the wider sports industry."
LaLiga Tech, conceived in 2021, serves as a means to monetise the league's internal innovations by licensing them to other leagues, federations, and broadcasters. Current partners include Liga Portugal, MotoGP, and Sky Mexico.
The collaboration with Globant aims to amalgamate insights from the sports and IT domains, capitalising on cutting-edge technologies like AI and blockchain. Globant, headquartered in Buenos Aires, also boasts partnerships with FIFA and the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers, further emphasising its commitment to reshaping the landscape of sports technology.