According to CNN, aiScout currently has two partners in the English Premier League (EPL), Chelsea and Burnley. Inside the app are 75 exercises, designed to test a variety of skills, with videos showing users how to do them. aiScout also allows clubs to tailor the testing in the app to meet specific needs and set their own standards.
Once the workouts are automatically graded using AI, scouts will access and review the data, using filters to search for players by age, gender and playing position.
Chelsea is one of two clubs partnering with aiScout
Richard Felton-Thomas, CEO of ai.io, said the information provided on aiScout makes recruiting more time-saving. For example, if a player meets or exceeds Chelsea's standards, a scout can simply go and watch them play live.
In 2019, 17-year-old Ben Greenwood posted a video on aiScout of being offered a trial at Chelsea, then signing for Bournemouth in 2021.
After beta testing with users from 125 countries, 135 players have been tested or signed by professional clubs and national teams.
Despite only having around 100,000 players in its database, more than 100 clubs are interested in working with aiScout. In May 2023, the company also announced a partnership with Major League Soccer (MLS). Mr. Felton-Thomas predicts that the number of users will increase dramatically into the millions as aiScout expands this year.
Player Ben Greenwood is the first to be noticed by a professional club thanks to aiScout
Mr Felton-Thomas said the majority of the company’s income comes from charging clubs for use of its platform. The annual fee will depend on the size of the club and the tools it requires. Top clubs like Chelsea pay hundreds of thousands of pounds, while smaller clubs pay just a few thousand.
Advanced technology is increasingly being used in sports . Examples include AI match commentary tools and wearable devices for athletes. According to market research firm Grand View Research, the global sports analytics market was worth $2.7 billion in 2023, and is expected to grow 22% by the end of the decade.
Asked whether football scouts could be replaced by AI, Mr Felton-Thomas insisted the new technology could exist alongside traditional methods.
aiScout is supposed to help people get their jobs done faster and more efficiently, and give young players a chance. But in reality, it’s just a way to connect players with clubs and scouts. It can’t tell you how a player will perform on the pitch if they’re two goals down or accidentally commit a serious foul.
While football remains ai.io's focus, the company is looking to expand into other sports, healthcare, rescue services, and military fitness assessments.
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