E159 ‘AI in Sport – The 5th John McCarthy AI Summer School’ with RDI Hub’s Liam Cronin

Today’s guest is Liam Cronin, CEO at RDI Hub. In this episode, Mark and Liam discuss the upcoming 5th International John McCarthy AI Summer School, with this year’s theme focusing on AI for Sports. The event will take place this week on September 12th and 13th in Killorglin, County Kerry, and will also be available remotely for attendees.

Liam shares his excitement for the upcoming event, offering a glimpse into how AI is revolutionising both athlete performance and the fan experience. Day one of the event is dedicated to exploring how AI is transforming athlete performance. With speakers such as  Patrick Lucey, Chief Data Scientist at Stats Perform and Mark Hill, Head of Product Development at Kitman Labs, the focus will be on innovations in sports tech that enhance player training, optimise performance and prevent injuries.

From monitoring an athlete’s movement and tracking performance data to preventing injuries caused by overexertion, AI is offering new insights that can help athletes stay at the top of their game. Additionally, the event will explore the differences between male and female performance metrics, with discussions led by speakers like Nancy Hensley, founder member at Mercury 13 and many more.

Day two shifts the focus to AI’s role in transforming the fan experience. Bjoern Rosenthal, Head of Product at Bundesliga will kick off the day by discussing how AI is being used to personalise content for sports fans. From AI-powered match analysis to personalised stadium experiences, the technology is reshaping the way fans engage with sports, both in-stadium and remotely.

Other notable speakers include Jimmy Doyle from ClubberTV, who will discuss how AI is enhancing live sports streaming, and Rohn Malhotra, who will talk about investment trends in AI within the sports industry.

The John McCarthy AI Summer School will host a diverse lineup of 22 speakers from across the U.S., UK, and Europe. The event brings together national and international experts to share their knowledge on AI’s role in sports. This hybrid event ensures that those unable to attend in person can still gain valuable insights by joining virtually or watching recorded sessions on-demand afterward.

As part of this year’s summer school, a new podcast series will be launched—From the Locker Room to the Boardroom. This series will explore the similarities between the world of sports and business, with episodes featuring Kerry GAA Stars stars like David and Paudie Clifford, as well as business experts. The goal is to draw lessons from both fields and show how metrics, resilience and strategies from sports can be applied to business, and vice versa.

Since its opening in 2020, RDI Hub has aimed to position itself as an AI center of excellence, and events like the John McCarthy AI Summer School are at the heart of that mission. RDI Hub offers training and strategy development to help companies integrate AI into their operations. The Summer School aligns perfectly with their broader goal of fostering innovation and collaboration within AI.

Whether you’re a sports professional, AI enthusiast or business leader, the 5th International John McCarthy AI Summer School is packed with insights and opportunities to learn from industry experts. With topics ranging from AI for athlete performance to fan engagement, this event is set to showcase the future of AI in sports.

Make sure to register for this hybrid event and if you can’t attend live, don’t worry – the sessions will be available to watch on-demand at a later date. This is a unique opportunity to explore how AI is revolutionising sports and to hear from some of the leading voices in the field.

Grab your spot at the Summer School today by signing up now on Eventbrite!