As the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics unfolds, the International Skating Union (ISU) is making waves with plans to integrate AI and computer vision into figure skating judging. The move aims to tackle long-standing debates over technical scores while keeping the sport’s artistic soul intact. 🧊🤖
From Human Eyes to AI Precision
ISU Director General Colin Smith confirmed this week that AI will first support judges in evaluating technical elements like jump rotations and blade edges – notorious pain points for human referees under time pressure. Think of it as a high-tech second opinion that never blinks. 👁️💻
Data vs. Drama
While algorithms crunch 750,000+ past scores to spot inconsistencies, the ISU insists AI won’t replace judges entirely. Instead, it’ll free them to focus on artistry and storytelling – the heart-stopping moments that make figure skating a fan favorite. Imagine fewer debates about under-rotated quads and more emphasis on those *chef’s kiss* spirals. 🩰✨
China’s Tech Edge
This isn’t AI’s first skate into the rink. China debuted its Figure Skating AI-Assisted Scoring System during training for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, tracking athletes’ joints in real time. Freestyle skier Xu Mengtao even trained with ‘Guanjun’ – an AI coach analyzing every twist and landing. 🇨🇳🚀
As the ISU cautiously rolls out its tech, one thing’s clear: the future of sports judging is gliding toward a human-AI partnership. Will it be a perfect 10? Stay tuned. 📊⛸️
