Sony’s Hawk-Eye Innovations will replace human line judges at Wimbledon 2025, marking the first time the prestigious tennis championship will rely entirely on AI-powered electronic line calling. The move represents a significant milestone for sports automation, with Sony’s subsidiary using 12 courtside cameras and artificial intelligence to track ball trajectories and make in-or-out calls across the tournament.
What you should know: Wimbledon will eliminate traditional human line judges for the 2025 championship, starting June 30.
- Sony Group Corp.’s subsidiary Hawk-Eye Innovations will provide the electronic line calling system using AI technology to determine whether balls land in or out.
- The system uses 12 cameras positioned courtside to track ball trajectories with precision.
- This marks a complete transition away from the iconic human line judges in their distinctive striped shirts and white attire.
The technology behind it: Hawk-Eye’s AI-powered system pinpoints ball trajectories to provide both gameplay analysis and refereeing decisions.
- The Basingstoke, England-based company has expanded its technology across 25 different sports, including baseball and soccer.
- The artificial intelligence analyzes ball movement in real-time to make instantaneous calls during matches.
Why this matters: The adoption demonstrates how AI is increasingly replacing human judgment in professional sports, potentially improving accuracy while changing the traditional character of tennis tournaments.
- Wimbledon’s decision could influence other major tennis tournaments to adopt similar electronic systems.
- The move eliminates potential human error in line calling while removing one of tennis’s most recognizable visual elements.
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