This weekend, as the Winter X Games kick off, a groundbreaking participant will make its debut: an AI-powered judge.
During the Snowboard Superpipe event at X Games Aspen 2025, an experimental Google Cloud-based AI technology will analyze and score competitors’ performances. While the AI judge’s scores will not influence the final results this time, the technology will be evaluated for potential use in future X Games events.
“Our goal is to potentially create a tool that could sit alongside human judges. You’d have four judges plus the AI as a fifth, or a system that judges could consult to ensure accuracy in evaluating tricks,” said Jeremy Bloom, CEO of X Games as of December 2024. Bloom highlighted the AI judge’s ability to analyze live video footage of snowboarders’ runs with remarkable precision, capturing elements like landings and grabs more accurately than human judges. “It’s about giving human judges superpowers,” he added.
AI’s Growing Role in Sports
AI judging isn’t entirely new in sports. At the 2023 Gymnastics World Championships in Antwerp, Belgium, AI software tracked all competitors, serving as a tool for human judges to resolve disputes. Similarly, Major League Baseball is experimenting with robot umpires for strike and ball calls, potentially launching them league-wide in 2026. Soccer leagues like Serie A and La Liga already use semi-automated offside technology, and the English Premier League is set to implement it soon.
Bloom, a former Olympic skier and NFL player, believes AI refereeing is the logical next step as the technology matures. “Some referee mistakes can have huge consequences. Athletes deserve fairness in subjective sports,” he said.
A Judge With “Amazing Precision”
After his athletic career, Bloom founded Integrate, a B2B tech marketing firm acquired by private equity firm Audax. When he took over as X Games CEO, Bloom turned to an old friend with a deep understanding of AI: Google co-founder Sergey Brin. Together, they envisioned using cutting-edge AI to bring greater objectivity to subjective sports like those in the X Games.
The AI judge, built on Google’s Vertex AI platform, leverages data from countless hours of snowboarding to create a judging framework. High-definition cameras will capture snowboarders’ runs, and the AI software will analyze every millisecond of footage to evaluate factors such as trick execution, landing quality, and movement efficiency. “It knows with incredible precision what a good landing looks like versus an okay landing,” Bloom explained.
A Glimpse Into the Future
The AI judge will be featured during Thursday night’s Men’s Snowboarding Superpipe Final and Saturday’s Women’s Snowboarding Superpipe Final. The broadcasts, available on ABC, ESPN, and Roku devices, will showcase AI-powered analyses of snowboarders’ performances. In addition, the AI software can narrate the action in competitors’ languages, serving as a commentator.
“What viewers will see is a glimpse into the future—a real technological leap,” Bloom remarked.
Expect broader use of AI judging in upcoming events, including X Games Sacramento in August and the launch of an 8-team global league in 2026.
Enhancing Fan Experiences with Technology
Jeff Moorad, CEO of MSP Sports Capital, X Games’ parent company, emphasized the significance of the partnership with Google. “When we acquired X Games, our goal was to reimagine fan experiences and expand access to the world’s top athletes. This collaboration with Google exemplifies how we can use technology to enhance that experience.”
As AI reshapes sports, the debut of an AI judge at X Games Aspen 2025 marks a pivotal step toward blending technology with athletic excellence.
