While many sports have welcomed the introduction of new and exciting technologies over the years, such as instant replay and drone cameras, there apparently still seem to be a few “kinks” that need to be worked out regarding cameras that use artificial intelligence. This glitch was on full display during a soccer game featuring a Scottish team called the Inverness Caledonian Thistle taking on AYR United. The football club recently announced that it would be utilizing AI cameras to record its matches in October. However, after the most recent fiasco, they probably wish they had done a bit more “field testing.”
The ITC issued an announcement on their website stating:
“Following two successful test events in the last 14 days, the club is pleased to be able to announce our new live streaming partnership with StreamAMG which is in conjunction with the SPFL and Pixellot.
This exciting new partnership means that ICTFC will utilise live footage supplied by the newly installed Pixellot camera system installed at Caledonian Stadium. The Pixellot system uses cameras with in-built, AI, ball-tracking technology to produce live HD footage of all home SPFL Championship matches at Caledonian Stadium […].”
During a football match in Scotland, an artificial intelligence (AI) camera continuously tracked a linesman's bald head mistaking it for the ball. pic.twitter.com/r6tzmPZbuV
— Techster | News Updates (@beingtechster) October 31, 2020
For most Americans, the game of soccer isn’t as popular as it is in Europe. However, if you can imagine this happening during an NFL game, you have a good idea about the response from enraged fans forced to look at a bald man’s head during the game. Viewers quickly complained about the hilarious technical glitch, which caused them to miss a goal that the hometown team scored.
One silver lining of our current dystopia is that it's still frequently hilarious. AI cameraman ruins football match by mistaking linesman's bald head for ball.https://t.co/DQgYDBkwuN
— Aldo Cortesi (@cortesi) October 30, 2020
You could almost feel the heat as upset fans took to social media to express their displeasure. One person, who’s tweet’s been liked nearly 10,000 times, said:
“Inverness Caledonian Thistle don’t employ a cameraman as their camera is programmed to follow the ball throughout the match. The commentator had to apologise today as the camera kept on mistaking the ball for the linesman’s head…”
Inverness Caledonian Thistle don’t employ a cameraman as their camera is programmed to follow the ball throughout the match. The commentator had to apologise today as the camera kept on mistaking the ball for the linesman’s head… pic.twitter.com/LeKsc2bEj7
— Tom Cox (@seagull81) October 24, 2020
A “lineman” works with the refs in soccer matches. Another person suggested that they should consider giving all bald linemen wigs moving forward.
‘Alot of clubs use the same system. Maybe have to supply the linesman with a toupe’, while someone else dubbed it ‘a hard day and age for male pattern baldness in Inverness’.
The news we all needed today. AI camera designed to follow football match mistakes bald linesman for the ball… https://t.co/k1I4fNWlLV
— Lewis Bush (@Lewis__Bush) October 31, 2020
I think all those folks who fear Skynet (the artificial intelligence system in the Terminator movies) will take over the world someday can rest a bit easier for now.
You can watch the hilarious video below.