Could AI help decide medals at LA28 Olympics?

Gymnastics is at the forefront of using artificial intelligence (AI) for judging elite sports, and it may be employed to determine medals during the 2028 LA Olympics. Despite some gymnasts' criticism of its use at recent World Championships, claiming it can be dangerous, top athletes like Carlos Yulo and Harry Hepworth, who both faced downgrading in their vaults, believe AI-assisted judging can ensure fairness.

Fujitsu developed the Judging Support System (JSS), an AI-powered technology that has been in development since 2017 and utilizes advanced AI, motion analysis, video reviews, and numerical information to support judges in their scoring decisions. The system has 800+ elements programmed into it, accounting for body positions, angles, and bent legs.

Tombs, the president of the Men's Artistic Gymnastics technical committee, believes the AI system can guarantee fairness and reduce subjectivity in judging. Although some gymnasts still have concerns, they acknowledge the potential benefits of the JSS, hoping it will become more refined in the future. Other Olympic sports, such as dressage, freestyle skiing, and snowboarding, are also considering AI assistance to enhance fairness, accuracy, and audience understanding.