AI Case Study
Wingate & Finchley F.C. determines best formation and style of play based on AI coach
Wingate & Finchley F.C has hired a new coach, an AI system with a voice interface that can ask questions. The system, developed by GreenShoot Labs, learns from game and player data to determine the best tactic and style of play against a specific opponent and it also adapts its approach according to real-time score. The team will test its new coach's capabilities on February 9th against Brighton’s Whitehawk FC.
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Entertainment And Sports
Project Overview
"That’s what Wingate & Finchley FC’s collaboration with The Big Bang Fair (a UK celebration of young people in STEM), is looking to find out.
According to a release, this coach comes from the AI experts at GreenShoot Labs and will utilize a “reasoning engine to determine the best formation and style of play against a given opponent.” Then, taking that data, it will learn from the games and become better and better at dealing out specific tactics mapped to specific opponents.
With an Alexa-like voice interface (it uses an Amazon Echo), the coaching AI uses the answers from a few questions in order to determine the best approach to a game.
Using a model programmed with rules relating to the effectiveness of different soccer tactics, the AI takes data like the “fitness levels, motivation, and types of players to strongest areas on the pitch” from its team while assessing “the strengths, weaknesses, and the typical player formation” of their opponents to generate a recommendation. Taking real-time scores into account, it can also dictate when replacements or a style change should be made."
Reported Results
"The team will debut the newest member of their coaching staff when they play Brighton’s Whitehawk FC on Feb. 9 — marking the first time an AI coach has led an English soccer team."
Technology
Function
Background
"AI is already able to give feedback to aspiring basketball all-stars and keep top tennis players on their game, but what about being a head coach of a team?"
Benefits
Data
Game and individual players performance data