The S.F. Giants have partnered with AI company ElevenLabs on a multiyear agreement that will see the team “deploy AI voice and audio technology throughout the ballpark to elevate the fan experience,” according to Shayna Rubin of the S.F. CHRONICLE. But what “exactly that means is to be determined.” ElevenLabs “creates AI-rendered voices and translations,” and that database of AI-rendered celebrity voices “can be downloaded to read various texts, such as audiobooks and articles.” Rubin: “Could the Giants do something similar with their late greats, such as Willie Mays, Willie McCovey or a broadcaster such as Lon Simmons?” That is a “tricky space because it requires approval from the person’s estate,” and it “is not on the team’s radar now.” Connecting the MLB ballpark phone application to the Oracle Park in-game experience “is a likelier possibility.” One option is to “use AI to translate the ballpark’s scoreboard content, broadcast, or performances to different languages.” Other options the Giants are discussing is “opting out of the music licensing hassle and creating AI-generated music during games” (S.F. CHRONICLE, 4/6).
