Sport and the Promise of Artificial Intelligence: Human and Machine Futures

Brad Millington; Michael Naraine; Elizabeth Wanless; Parissa Safai; Andrew Manley

doi:10.1123/ssj.2024-0150

Sport and the Promise of Artificial Intelligence: Human and Machine Futures

Brad Millington
, Michael Naraine
, Elizabeth Wanless
, Parissa Safai
, Andrew Manley

Department for Health

Brock University
Ohio University
York University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

9 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) has the capacity to deliver generative, complex, and powerful functions and decisions. Sport offers a unique site for AI development and implementation, yet the sociological significance of AI in sport remains understudied. We consider sport-based AI applications en route to describing the promise of AI in sport in four ways: (a) the promise of supercharged data parsing at scale, (b) the promise of supercharged precision, (c) the promise of supercharged personalization; and (d) the promise of supercharged prediction. We argue in turn that AI is an emergent cultural form in sport that foregrounds labor automation as a pathway to efficiency but also brings potential for substantial disruption. We further contend that sport is a use case for AI at a moment when the legitimacy of AI is intensely debated.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	341-350
Number of pages	10
Journal	Sociology of Sport Journal
Volume	42
Issue number	4
Early online date	13 Feb 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1123/ssj.2024-0150
Publication status	Published - 31 Dec 2025

Acknowledgements

This article draws on research supported by the Social Sciences and
Humanities Research Council. The authors wish to thank Easton Powers
for research assistance.

Funding

This article draws on research supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. The authors wish to thank Easton Powers for research assistance.

Funders
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

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10.1123/ssj.2024-0150

Cite this

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Sport and the Promise of Artificial Intelligence: Human and Machine Futures

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