Philippines telecommunication companies PLDT Inc., Smart, Cignal TV and MediaQuest Holdings, along with IT service provider NTT DATA have introduced an artificial intelligence (AI) based digital human to assist fans at the FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Anticipating nearly half a million sports enthusiasts to gather at the tournament from August 25 to September 10, the conversational Avatar - Pearl, stationed at special kiosks will be available for interaction.
Pearl will be able to converse with fans in English and Filipino and answer their FIBA-related questions such as the latest game results, statistics, leaderboards, and upcoming matches.
She can also give people information on how to get to their seats, snacks or even recommended activities in Manila for tourists.
Equipped with ChatGPT, and visual and sound sensors, Pearl combines speech recognition, machine learning, natural language processing, and conversational AI to connect with people.
PLDT and Smart Communications President and CEO Alfredo S. Panlilio said the partners are thrilled at the chance to bring these next-generation technologies to Filipino basketball fans as they adapt more innovative and customer-centric digital solutions.
"We will learn from the interactions that fans will have with Pearl, and continue to improve the live stadium experience for future events", he added.
MediaQuest's president and CEO Jane J. Basas said that, besides helping sports fans enjoy the FIBA games, Pearl gives them a taste of the "emerging" digital future. "This will bring the fan experience to new, higher levels," she added.
These smart solutions are said to combine creative communications with the latest advances in Internet of Things (IoT) technology and AI to create a unique experience for sports fans.
Earlier in June, NTT introduced a similar initiative called Marianne to provide fans with comprehensive race information at the Tour de France bicycle race.
