AI Alice debuts as football commentator in Uzbekistan

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — For the first time in Uzbek football history, an artificial intelligence assistant took part in the live coverage of a professional match as a co-commentator.

On April 28, Alice, developed by Yandex Uzbekistan, assisted the broadcast of the 10th round of the 2024 Uzbekistan Super League match between Andijan and Dinamo Samarkand, held at the Bobur Arena stadium in Andijan.

Before kick-off, Alice joined the professional host, greeting spectators in Uzbek, introducing the team line-ups, and commenting on the stadium atmosphere. During breaks in play, she operated a match timer, and after the final whistle, she summarized the result and congratulated the winners, Andijan.

Her appearance at the stadium formed part of a strategic partnership between Yandex Uzbekistan and the Professional Football League of Uzbekistan, announced in February 2024. The cooperation aims to develop the country’s football industry and introduce new technology-driven experiences for fans nationwide.

Alice first gained Uzbek language support in Yandex smart speakers in September 2023.

The AI assistant is powered by a large language model developed by Yandex Uzbekistan. Its training involved professional editors and linguists, while testing was carried out with the participation of 300 users from 13 regions across Uzbekistan.