The organisers of the Wimbledon tennis tournaments recently announced that it will be replacing its line judges with AI-powered line callers. The decision marks a break in the sport’s long tradition of line judges dressed in elegant uniforms.
According to Time, the decision to adopt live electronic line was made by the Wimbledon organisers following extensive testing during the 2024 tournament. “We consider the technology to be sufficiently robust and the time is right to take this important step in seeking maximum accuracy in our officiating,” Sally Bolton, chief executive of the All England Club, said. “For the players, it will offer them the same conditions they have played under at a number of other events on tour.”
To be fair, the use of AI technology in place of roles that have traditionally been held by flesh-and-blood individuals has, arguably, been happening for several years now. In the world of sports, and outside tennis, football – soccer, to those living in the US – clubs and organisers have been using electronic line technology to determine the legitimacy of a referee’s call in-game.
At this point, this writer believes that the decision by Wimbledon is just another step towards the AI revolution and Skynet finally achieving dominance. That said, one of our writers did make a case against AI actually taking over, which is compelling.
(Source: TIME)
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