AI in sports judging is already here, bringing both advantages and potential pitfalls [Video]

Of the four judges used to score the boxing match between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury last December, one was missing a significant trait that the other three shared: Flesh.

In what was believed to be a first, AI technology was used, unofficially, to monitor the fight and score the bout.

While the AI judge agreed with its three human counterparts who gave the match to Usyk, it felt he had taken more rounds and won by a wider margin.

Although the AI scorecard was not part of the official results, its use in the bout was just the latest example of how the technology could start being incorporated in sports like figure skating and diving, where the subjectivity of the judges plays a major role.

While experts say AI may improve on certain issues that can hamper human judging, they suggest it can also present its own challenges.

AI …