How AI will impact Sports Media

After spending 17 years at Google, where he co-founded Google Assistant and Google Lens, Behshad Behzadi joined global sports tech company Sportradar as Chief Product, Technology and AI Officer. In his keynote, he outlined how generative AI is driving innovation in sports technology and shaping the future of the industry. These are his best GMPLN quotes.

For Behshad Behzadi, sport holds a special kind of energy that technology cannot replace. Even as artificial intelligence reshapes industries, major sporting events continue to draw the largest television audiences and fill stadiums worldwide. What keeps it on top is the shared emotion: the roar of a crowd, the tension of a game decided in the final seconds. Data models might predict outcomes, but they cannot capture that feeling. Behzadi believes this human connection will keep sport at the center of global culture long after AI becomes part of everyday life.

Generative AI is moving so quickly that a PhD is no longer required to put it to use and its influence reaches far beyond sports. Yet the sports world offers a clear view of how powerful this shift has become. From sharper performance analysis to fresh ways fans experience games, the technology is making its mark on and off the field. Behshad Behzadi highlights two key paths forward: using generative AI to enhance what already exists and creating entirely new solutions around it. Clubs, leagues, broadcasters and sponsors are already exploring these possibilities, showing how a global technological wave is reshaping sports in real time and creating opportunities that barely existed a few years ago.

The Future of Fan Engagement is taking shape through three key ideas that are set to change how supporters experience the game. Hyper-Personalisation creates a viewing experience tailored to each individual, such as selecting a commentator who shares your team allegiance or hearing the entire broadcast in your native language wherever you are. Hyper-Immersive Experiences push beyond traditional broadcasts, allowing fans to switch camera angles, follow a single player, or explore the action from multiple perspectives so watching becomes fully interactive. Hyper-Intelligence, driven by generative AI, connects these innovations by processing vast amounts of data to keep every interaction seamless. Behzadi and Sportradar see these forces combining to transform how clubs, leagues, and broadcasters engage their audiences.

During his session, Behshad Behzadi brought the power of generative AI to life with a series of quick demonstrations showing how Sportradar is already using the technology. He began by prompting the creation of a live podcast about a Premier League match, which the AI generated instantly. He then introduced the Sportradar Brain, challenging it with complex NBA questions and switching sports as it answered in real time. Behzadi also highlighted instant AI customer support during live games, automatic multilingual article creation, and an AI-generated video in which CEO Carsten Koerl appeared to read that article fluently in languages he does not speak.