Speedgate – A new sport developed by an AI

February 24, 2020

What if computers were able to create a sport? Well, that would give birth to Speedgate. Since the dawn of time, humans have imagined hundreds (if not thousands) of different sports.

The design agency AKQA presented Speedgate, which would therefore be the first sport developed by Artificial Intelligence. The sport is played with six players on a field. Once you have hit the ball through a central door (which you cannot pass through), your team may score on one of the end doors; supplemented by an additional point if you ricochet the ball through the door. You can't stay still either, because the ball must move every three seconds.

Speedgate - A new sport developed by an AI

AKQA created the game by providing data on 400 existing sports to a neural network, which then created the basic sports rules and concepts. Many of these were completely unrealistic. Then the team gradually reduced the eligible characteristics until there are only three sports left. Speedgate was born!

The agency even used artificial intelligence to develop the game's logo and tagline. The result is astonishing to say the least: "face the ball to be the ball above the ball".

Although this sport was created as an exercise for design week, it may well become a sport in its own right. AKQA is discussing Speedgate with the Oregon Sports Authority and there may be an intramural league this summer.

Society encourages others to create their own leagues. Speedgate is probably not going to replace conventional sport in the hearts of fans, but it is an example of the usefulness of artificial intelligence even in human-centered areas, such as sport.

(Embed) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ft8D4cX3v9k (/ embed)