Wimbledon to use AI commentary during tournament

Wimbledon embraces AI-powered commentary and captions for this year's tournament. IBM's Watsonx AI platform analyzes player stats to uncover surprises in the singles draw. Captions for highlights will be available online, with potential for live AI commentary in the future. 

IBM's Kevin Farrar emphasizes AI as a tool to enhance the experience, not replace human commentary. It aims to provide commentary for matches without human coverage, like seniors, juniors, and wheelchair events. AI complements, not replaces, the human element.

All-England Club Technology Director Bill Jinks sees training AI to mimic commentators like John McEnroe as technically feasible, with proper intellectual property agreements. The current plan focuses on style and language, paving the way for future customization. 

While AI-generated commentary surprises various sectors, such as sports and news broadcasts, the tech department clarifies that human umpires won't be replaced. However, the possibility of replacing line judges over time remains on the horizon. 

AI's potential extends beyond Wimbledon. The European Broadcasting Union aims to clone commentator voices, while Veritone explores recreating Walter Cronkite's voice. BBC's future use of AI commentary for live Wimbledon coverage is yet to be announced.