SUNNYVALE, Calif.—In a notable example of how broadcasters are adopting generative AI to provide new content and experiences to viewers, Fox Sports has announced that it is working with Google to unlock the full potential of Fox’s vast sports content archives using Google Cloud's generative AI (gen AI) technology.
The announcement expands on Fox Sports and Google Cloud's work in building Fox Sports' Intelligent Asset Service (IAS) that was first announced in 2020.
As part of the expanded collaboration with Google, Fox Sports is now planning to use use Google Cloud's gen AI technology through Vertex AI Vision to quickly search footage from more than 1.9 million videos and then produce new content in near real-time to delight and engage its global audiences.
The collaboration has particularly important implications for the production of live events. Vertex AI Vision will allow Fox Sports to more quickly ingest live video and images, analyze millions of hours of games footage and commentary, while helping Fox employees create new television content, social media clippings, marketing assets, and more with ease.
"With Google Cloud, we're able to utilize video search, advanced machine learning, and artificial intelligence to automate one of the most manual processes in sports media: tagging and searching video content," said Brad Zager, president of production/operations & executive producer, Fox Sports. "Compared to previous media management workflows, our team is able to swiftly find relevant content, which is critical in the business of live sports."
Fox Sports' Intelligent Asset Service (IAS), which was first announced in 2020, utilizes Google Cloud's video search and advanced machine learning capabilities to help the sports network automate managing media assets. IAS allows Fox Sports to gain more value from its content library by reducing its reliance on paper logs, conflicting systems, and producers manually sifting through tapes by hand. As of 2022, IAS has been implemented across all major Fox Sports broadcasts, the companies reported.
An early adopter of Google Workspace, Fox Sports is able to better connect and collaborate with teammates across Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive, and more—no matter the device, the companies explained. With Duet AI in Google Workspace, the Fox can also create a production schedule for a sports season in minutes versus the hours it would take to do so manually.
"Fox Sports is committed to providing its viewers the best possible experiences across platforms, and that starts with the technology that powers them," said Thomas Kurian, CEO, Google Cloud. "By choosing Google Cloud's AI technologies, Fox Sports is not only maximizing its content production capabilities, but also delivering transformative viewing experiences that keep its audiences engaged and entertained."
