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IBM Watson to Aid US Open 2018 Players With Game Strategy

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International Business Machines Corporation (IBM - Free Report) recently strengthened partnership with United States Tennis Association (“USTA”). Robust artificial intelligence ("AI") capabilities of IBM’s Watson will aid US Open Tennis players to enhance their game strategy and preparation.

IBM’s AI Highlights technology will be integrated into player performance to enable coaches analyze and improve the performance of the players.

IBM’s bid to go integrate AI into sports systems’ is in sync with its strategy to go beyond fan engagement to influencing players with robust strategies. It is a win-win for both the parties involved. These innovative solutions position IBM well to gain momentum with Watson.

Player Development: Key Differentiator

The new solution aimed at player development will evaluate the entirety of match footage and identify as well as list key tips and stats in an automated process. This analysis will benefit the coaches to draft detailed strategy reports in considerably lesser amount of time for the subsequent matches.

The indexed match video at the service of the coaches will aid them refer and review a broad-based database of the players, which would have been an otherwise time-consuming and arduous task manually.

IBM has teamed up with professional tennis player Madison Keys to demonstrate how the company’s technology can revolutionize the tournament featuring 900 matches for players, coaches and fans alike.

IBM’s “AI Highlights” will include “AI Highlight dashboard” and “AI Highlight builder” to highlight notable player and match-specific instances.

More Features to Boost Fan Engagement

IBM’s Virtual Concierge on Facebook messenger and US Open digital platforms will provide fans access to an AI-driven chatbot to bolster fan experience both on and off the court. The chatbot is powered by Watson services to respond to questions regarding scores, schedules, transport, dining options among others.

IBM strengthened its SlamTracker offering with a new "momentum" feature, so that fans can at a glance figure out the player having advantage and transition in pace through all live matches.

What Does this Mean for IBM?

This is yet another tailwind for IBM’s Watson which is witnessing increasing adoption across many industries.

In fact, per an IDC report, worldwide spending on cognitive and AI systems is estimated to be over $52.2 billion by 2021 at a CAGR of 46.2% from 2016 to 2021.

Notably, IBM Watson AI capabilities have also been leveraged by The All England Lawn Tennis Club (“AELTC”) to boost engagement for Wimbledon fans in the recent past.

To Conclude

IBM has introduced several initiatives to boost experience of the entities involved, from players, coaches, fans to USTA management. Minute details have been taken care of through robust offerings.

Given IBM Watson’s growing popularity, we anticipate to see more of such adoptions in the future, which will definitely have a positive impact on the company’s bottom line.

Zacks Rank & Key Picks

IBM carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Mellanox and Logitech International S.A. (LOGI - Free Report) , both sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) are stocks worth considering in the same sector. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Mellanox and Logitech have a long-term earnings growth rate of 15% and 8%, respectively.

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