European Gymnastics has created its own AI assistant, powered by OriginTrail and blockchain technology, to optimise data and operations management and incentivise community engagement.
The organisation, which brings together more than 50 federations and 8,5 million gymnasts and athletes, announced a strategic partnership with the digital platform OriginTrail to incorporate emerging technologies into its operations. Specifically, European Gymnastics reported that it has integrated blockchain technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) as resources to “drive knowledge without borders” and promote its mission of encouraging, developing and supporting synergy between the gymnastics community.
To achieve this, European Gymnastics has launched an AI assistant, called Luigi, which provides athletes and users with quick access to information about competitions, historical events, scores and other elements that allow users to stay informed and in contact with the organization. All of this is done in a secure and comprehensive way thanks to the unique properties of blockchain technology.
A powerful and reliable AI assistant
In a statement released this week, the gymnastics organization said that Luigi is capable of helping any of its members thoroughly explore varied sources of information, a capability unlocked through the use of OriginTrail’s Decentralized Knowledge Graph. This technology allows the AI assistant’s knowledge base to continually expand, offering users a more optimized experience.
On the security side, the technology provided by OriginTrail incorporates blockchain, ensuring that all the information it handles is protected against unauthorized access and manipulation. All of this allows European Gymnastics to reinforce its commitment to security and integrity, from the halls to the efficient management of data.
The launch of its own AI assistant coincided with the start of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, so attendees will be able to use this resource to easily access schedules and updates on athletes' results in the coming days.
Blockchain and AI innovation in sports
Farid Gayibov, President of the European Gymnastics Federation, commented that the launch of Luigi underlines European Gymnastics' commitment to technological innovation.
“After being the first continental gymnastics federation to launch a digital cup competition this year, we are now taking the first steps in adopting Artificial Intelligence and blockchain to improve the ease of interaction with what is sometimes considered a complex world of gymnastics.”, Gayibov commented.
Gayibov also manifested that new technologies have much more to offer in the world of sports, pointing out the strategic plan that the organization has drawn up to incorporate new technological developments and innovations to sport for the next decade. According to her, the incorporation of blockchain technology and Artificial Intelligence is part of the European Gymnastics 2030 Strategy to improve the interaction, accessibility and understanding of gymnastics and make this sport discipline more accessible and attractive to everyone.
In addition to European Gymnastics, other sporting organisations have also been experimenting with new technologies such as blockchain, transforming the way their fans access and enjoy sports. Examples of these organisations include football clubs such as Manchester City and FC Barcelona, and NFL team Dallas Cowboys, who have been testing blockchain for issuing digital payments and Crypto collectibles in NFT format.
Main image from European Gymnastics
