Exploring AI’s Role in Football at SFS24
On the first day of the Summit, several experts and professionals specializing in artificial intelligence analyzed and delved into the role it will play in the football industry. Hosted by lawyer Luca Pardo, the panel featured Valeria Portale (Researcher, School of Management, Politecnico di Milano), Geo Ceccarelli (Chief Information Officer, Marimo), Edoardo Degli Innocenti (CIO, Kama Sport), and Paolo Capitelli (Communities of Practice Director, Reply).
The use of data in football dates back to the era of Arrigo Sacchi’s AC Milan, which, under Berlusconi’s leadership, became one of the strongest teams in the world. Since then, many have sought to leverage digital technologies to enhance the performance of clubs and individual players. During the panel, the example of Jürgen Klopp, former Liverpool manager, was highlighted. Under his leadership, the Reds formalized a partnership with TacticAI, a prototype developed by DeepMind, Google’s artificial intelligence division. The goal? To apply data to matches and situational training, resulting in a significant increase in goals scored from set pieces. This serves as a clear example of how AI has changed rules and competitive scenarios, including the introduction of moneyball strategies and new tools for scouting activities.
“Our task is to create value through data, focusing on cleaning, organizing, and certifying it. Additionally, we aim to codify a revenue stream model that supports all activities related to a club’s performance”, stated the CIO of Kama Sport, a startup that has pioneered the use of big data in football.
The second part of the panel, however, focused on the extra-football dynamics of data utilization. Portale emphasized the importance of data quality and reliability, highlighting the critical role of data set training. She also called for transparency, achievable through blockchain technologies — a vital tool for data traceability, especially in a context of interoperability between platforms and potential mismanagement by third parties. These are crucial and sensitive topics, leading participants to align on some key principles. For example? Applying global practices to a globally relevant phenomenon like AI. Encouraging regulatory sandboxes and regulating applications — not the technology itself — are excellent starting points, along with adopting bureaucratic safeguards inspired by the United States.
Lastly, it’s essential to note how the technological contribution of artificial intelligence has ushered in new types of content. “Today, we can hyper-personalize content thanks to the availability of tools and virtually infinite creative possibilities“, concluded Capitelli, citing several case studies involving Reply.
