Sevilla FC is employing a new AI-based tool that radically transforms the player scouting process. In collaboration with IBM, the club has developed Scout Advisor, a generative AI-based scouting system that runs on the watsonx platform and Meta's Llama 3.1 model. The innovation aims to analyse more than 300,000 player scouting reports and complement traditional data-driven filtering methods with human expert evaluations. The introduction of Scout Advisor has significantly reduced the time required for player evaluation, which previously could take up to 200-300 hours for a single list.
A key innovation of Scout Advisor is the processing of unstructured data. In addition to traditional statistical indicators (such as goals and pass accuracy), the system also considers the subjective evaluations of observers, including players' attitudes, perseverance, and leadership abilities. According to Elías Zamora, Sevilla FC's data manager, Llama's advanced natural language processing capabilities successfully bridged the gap between qualitative human observations and quantitative data analysis. Meta's Llama 3.1 can interpret football-specific language and provide contextually accurate responses. For example, the model automatically refines a simple search like "show talented wingers" and filters results for relevant attributes such as dribbling skills and the ability to break through defences.
The implementation of Scout Advisor has not only increased the efficiency of player scouting but has also created new business opportunities for the club. With the introduction of this technology, Sevilla FC has gained a unique competitive advantage that enables faster and more accurate decision-making. According to Victor Orta, the club's sporting director, instead of reviewing 45 reports on a player, now they receive all the necessary information in two minutes. The introduction of Scout Advisor is beneficial not only for Sevilla FC but also for Sevilla FC. Still, it may also impact the sports industry in the long term, as other clubs and institutions are also interested in applying AI solutions.
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Eric Hal Schwartz
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