August 10th 2024.
Aston Villa is determined to lead the way in implementing artificial intelligence in the top tier of football. They are currently in the process of hiring a scientist who will utilize cutting-edge data and technology, including artificial intelligence, to gain a competitive edge over their rivals.
The Premier League club is seeking a highly skilled and inquisitive professional to analyze complex information and translate it into wins on the field. According to their job advertisement, the successful candidate will be tasked with creating and testing new technologies to put Aston Villa at the forefront of generative AI adoption.
The role will focus on advanced computer science fields such as deep and machine learning, which are essential in today's modern game. The applied scientist will work across various departments within the club, including scouting and first-team matches, to continuously improve and elevate the team's performance.
One of the job responsibilities reads, "Explore and prototype technologies to put AVFC at the forefront of Generative AI adoption." The successful candidate can also expect an attractive remuneration package as one of the rewards.
The scientist will have an exciting opportunity to work with star striker Ollie Watkins and other players to enhance their game through the use of AI. Liverpool has already implemented a similar system, called TacticAI, which suggests adjustments to players' positions during corner kicks. This tool was developed by Google DeepMind in collaboration with the Reds. Manchester City also has a lead AI scientist at their parent company, and Aston Villa's hiring of a scientist is seen as a sign of things to come in the world of elite football.
At PSV Eindhoven, science has gone a step further, with brain tests being used to assess the potential of young footballers. Dr. Shweta Singh, assistant professor of information systems and management at the Warwick Business School, believes that the job posting is a significant step towards integrating cutting-edge AI technologies in sports. She states, "It is genuinely exciting to see a new job posting like this. For a Premier League football team like Aston Villa to embrace such advanced technology is an indication of the future of sport."
The job posting also highlights the visionary approach of the club, which is reminiscent of how AI has revolutionized decision-making in other fields, such as Formula 1. The emphasis on "generative AI" and "causal understanding" of scoring more goals shows the club's commitment to utilizing advanced machine learning techniques to gain a competitive edge. The role also presents a unique opportunity to contribute to the holistic, data-driven transformation of the club.
Football has already seen the use of data analytics at the elite level for many years. However, AI is a relatively new field in sports science, and elite clubs are now seeking to harness its potential. The general public is familiar with AI through ChatGPT, while machine learning, as mentioned in the Aston Villa job advertisement, refers to the system's ability to recognize patterns and adapt over time.
According to analyisport, the vast amount of football data has created the perfect environment for machine learning. The online training hub explains that AI can be trained to identify patterns that may go unnoticed by humans and automate processes, making them quicker and more accurate. It is already being used to track player data in real-time, keep players fit, and even detect potential causes of injuries. It is also being used in a semi-automated offside technology for referees.
Professor Karl Tuyls, a researcher at analyisport, believes that an automated video assistant coach may become a reality in the coming years. AI is also being used to predict players' actions in certain situations and how they would perform if recruited by a particular club. Fans also have access to such tools, such as the xvalue platform, which offers a detailed breakdown of club and player data for those interested in the game, including professional coaches.
The scientist hired by Aston Villa will work across various areas, including coaching and analysis, scouting and recruitment, and performance. They will need to have a PhD or equivalent experience in a quantitative discipline, as well as experience in statistical methods, causal inference, and machine and deep learning.
Despite the challenging nature of the job, the successful candidate will have promising statistics to build upon for Aston Villa's upcoming 2024-2025 season. Under head coach Unai Emery's leadership, the club achieved their highest finish since the 1995-1996 season, finishing fourth in the table last season.
The deadline for the job application has passed, and the recruitment process is now underway as the club prepares for their first game of the Premier League season against West Ham next Saturday.
In other news, Ukraine has developed a new weapon, nicknamed the "death scythe," which can take out troops from 1.5 miles away. Meanwhile, a virtual influencer with an AI brain has been discussing the World Cup and the future of robots. The UK military is also embracing artificial intelligence, with "X" files leading them into a new age.
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