IBM and USTA have announced new AI-powered fan features for the 2026 US Open. The new experiences will appear on USOpen.org and the US Open app. IBM (NYSE: IBM) and the United States Tennis Association (USTA) announced the new features today. The organizations introduced three enhanced AI-powered innovations for this year’s tournament.
These tools aim to help fans follow matches with less noise. They will also help audiences stay closer to live tennis action. In addition, the features will create a more personalized digital experience. IBM and the USTA have worked together since 1992. Their partnership has delivered advanced digital sports experiences to tennis audiences worldwide. Today, more than 14 million global tennis fans use these experiences annually.
This year’s tournament arrives as demand for AI-powered sports features continues to grow. However, accuracy remains an important factor in digital sports experiences. A new global survey supports this trend. Morning Consult conducted the survey and commissioned it through IBM. The survey found that 91% of global tennis fans use sports apps during events. Furthermore, 64% of surveyed fans expressed high trust in AI-powered sports content.
Live Updates and Serve Quality Bring More Match Data
The new Live Updates homepage sits at the center of this year’s digital experience. It gives fans a smarter way to follow important tournament developments. Fans can prioritize their favorite players through the updated homepage. They can also find matches, insights and stories that interest them. Therefore, users can spend less time searching for relevant information. Instead, they can focus directly on the action they want to follow.
Another major addition is the new Serve Quality metric. The feature offers fans a deeper look at serving performance. Serve Quality will cover all 254 singles matches during the tournament. The AI-powered tool uses advanced limb-tracking technology developed with IBM Bob. The technology analyzes the detailed mechanics behind every serve. It tracks 21 data points across the player’s body and racquet.
The system records those points 50 times every second. Consequently, the technology generates approximately 1.2 billion data points throughout the tournament. The captured information includes wrist movement and energy transfer. It tracks how energy moves from a player’s legs through the torso. The system also measures serving efficiency and accuracy. Consistency and ball toss data also form part of the analysis.
IBM Confluent manages this continuous stream of live information. The technology then supports a Serve Quality score generated in near real-time. As a result, fans gain another method for understanding serving performance. The feature can show what contributes to an effective serve.
Key Moments Explains Major Shifts During Matches
IBM and the USTA are also introducing Key Moments for the 2026 tournament. The feature expands on the existing Likelihood to Win experience. Likelihood to Win already helps fans understand each player’s winning probability. The system uses AI to analyze current and historical statistics. It also considers expert opinion and match momentum. The feature is available across all singles matches.
Key Moments add further context to those match developments. Instead of showing only who leads, it helps explain why the match changes. The feature summarizes important swings and turning points. It also highlights momentum shifts that can change a match quickly. This approach gives fans more context during live competition. It can also help audiences understand important developments without reviewing every point.
The enhanced Match Chat adds another interactive layer to the experience. Fans can ask questions using their own words during matches. The system then provides instant conversational responses. Some answers can now include relevant photos and videos.
This added media gives fans more context around match developments. Match Chat uses watsonx Orchestrate to power its AI capabilities. The system draws from a broader mix of live match data. It also uses analysis and historical tennis information.
A collection of AI agents supports the experience. Fit-for-purpose models also help generate relevant responses. These models follow the USTA’s editorial style and tennis language. Consequently, responses are designed to feel natural within the tennis environment.
IBM and USTA Strengthen Digital Sports Technology
“Our work with IBM this year has been game-changing, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in digital fan engagement,” said Brian Ryerson, Senior Director, Digital Strategy, USTA. “By leveraging their AI capabilities, we’re delivering new, innovative, and highly personalized content and insights to our millions of fans worldwide, while significantly enhancing our ability to tell compelling stories throughout every match of the US Open.”
The partnership also highlights IBM’s broader role in AI-powered sports technology. IBM is using live match data to create actionable digital insights.
“Our partnership with the USTA continues to redefine digital sports experiences,” said Jonathan Adashek, Senior Vice President, Chief Global Affairs Officer at IBM. “We can take millions of live data points streaming from the court and automatically route them into workflows that deliver usable insights in minutes and hours. These capabilities of Confluent, Bob and other IBM technologies help deliver a more intelligent experience, drawing greater value from data and changing the game for the US Open.”
The 2026 US Open runs from August 23 through September 13. Fans can access the new experiences through USOpen.org and the US Open app. The application is available through the Apple and Android app stores. Fans can use the platforms across supported mobile devices throughout the tournament.
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News Source: PRNewswire.com
