When England lost to France in the 2022 World Cup quarterfinals, some fans weren’t just heartbroken; they were frustrated with the officiating. But rather than stewing in their fury, many turned to the replay feeds and frame-by-frame breakdowns provided by AI for answers. What they found wasn’t just proof they were right or wrong, but a glimpse of how we may all experience sport in the future.
AI is no longer just crunching numbers behind the scenes. It’s changing the sights, sounds, and emotions of sport, whether you’re in the stadium or on your sofa.
Cameras that think, audio that reacts
Live sports production has traditionally relied on armies of camera operators and audio technicians to capture the action. AI is now partnering with creators, enhancing their skills and unlocking new possibilities to deliver unforgettable, immersive experiences for audiences.
Take tools like Panasonic’s Kairos platform, which uses AI to support real-time camera switching. When the system detects where the action is heating up, it can instantly serve up the most compelling angles to broadcasters. It’s already helping smaller leagues and training environments save on production costs, but the technology is easily scalable.
In high-noise environments like football stadiums or racetracks, audio clarity is just as important. Clear-Com’s intercom systems, for instance, use machine learning to isolate speech from crowd noise, making it easier for referees, coaches, and technical staff to communicate.
Even the crowd noise itself is being reimagined. With spatial audio and beamforming mics powered by AI, the roar of the stadium can now be delivered in a hyper-realistic way to fans watching at home. Think Dolby Atmos, but tailored in real time to the pace and emotion of the match.
Replays that know what you like
Watching a sports highlight reel used to mean seeing what an editor thought was important. Now, AI can decide in milliseconds what you care about.
It detects crowd reactions, player emotion, and key statistical moments to build personalised highlight packages for die-hard supporters and casual viewers alike.
Just like social media knows what you want to see next, AI in sports broadcasting uses similar algorithms to anticipate the big moments and automatically switch camera angles, keeping fans locked into the most thrilling action without missing a beat.
Smarter screens, more responsive stadiums
What fans see is just as important as what they hear. In esports arenas and major sports studios, AI-powered LED displays are doing more than just looking good. They’re adjusting brightness, colour profiles, and angles based on the environment and to suit the viewer’s position.
Paired with AI-driven rendering engines, these screens now support interactive match previews, live data visualisation, and virtual advertising tailored to different audiences.
Edge AI devices also support real-time fan analytics, allowing broadcasters and sports organisations to adapt content streams as audience behaviours change, from adjusting commentary styles to running live polls or delivering context-based advertising.
When AI officiates
While VAR may have divided opinion, its only just getting started. AI is now being deployed not just to help referees, but to pre-empt and automate decision-making in real time.
Optical tracking systems like Sony’s Hawk-Eye use AI motion capture tools to help automate offside decisions, track ball trajectory, and even anticipate foul play. This doesn’t just increase accuracy, it speeds up decision-making, reducing the dreaded delays that fans (and players) hate. In some sports, such as tennis or cricket, automated line-calling systems have already been accepted as the norm, as we saw at Wimbledon tennis this year.
Crossover into fitness, esports, and education
Interestingly, AI-powered AV technologies used in sport are also crossing over into fitness, esports, and education.
In fitness, motion tracking and real-time feedback tools are now supporting virtual coaching and immersive group training experiences. Think of boutique gym classes where lighting, audio, and personalised feedback respond and change to your performance in real time. Biometric data can be used to tailor encouragement or correction, creating a training experience that feels human, even when it’s virtual.
In esports, AI is being used for real-time analytics to inform not only players and coaches, but also fans, with shout casting, audience-driven camera switching, and personalised replays helping fans feel closer to the action.
Even in education, AI-powered AV tools are changing how student engagement is tracked and how learning is delivered, with intelligent camera framing, live transcription, and sentiment analysis supporting hybrid classrooms.
The new front row seat
AI is already changing what it means to watch sport. Whether you’re in the stands or on the sofa, the experience is becoming more personalised and more interactive than ever before. Fans aren’t just passive viewers anymore, they’re part of the moment, with the sights, sounds, and stories of the game adapting around them in real time.
And this is only the beginning. As the technology matures, the viewing experience will feel even more like your own choose‑your‑own‑adventure story, with highlights, camera angles, and stats tuned to what matters most to you. The challenge now is to make sure AI enhances the drama of the game rather than distracts from it. Because the magic of sport has never been about perfect replays or flawless stats, it’s about those raw, unscripted moments that no algorithm could ever see coming.
