Every year, The Sports Technology Awards gives us a tantalizing glimpse into the future, typically around three to seven years ahead of whatever eventually makes it into your average stadium. It’s basically a crystal ball for sports leaders, showing us tomorrow’s tech today.
Each year a new technology starts to filter through, about six years ago it was AI. As of 2024 you couldn’t swing a virtual cat in the metaverse without hitting some self-appointed guru discussing artificial intelligence and no conference is complete without half the sessions dedicated to the subject. If you want to understand AI without remortgaging your house for a seminar, just ask ChatGPT. For free.
So, what was the concept that snuck onto our radar this year…Quantum Computing. You might have seen that Microsoft launched their Majorana 1 quantum chip last month, which suggests that something real is in the air.
Quantum computers are to ordinary computers what Concorde was to the hot air balloon. Traditional computers speak in simple terms of zeros and ones, aka binary. Quantum computers operate via qubits, which is a techy way of existing in several states at once. It’s like you being simultaneously at your office, in the gym, and watching tv at home. It’s incredible but it’s real.
Think of it like this: if AI is Usain Bolt, quantum computing is Usain Bolt fuelled by something so outrageously powerful, WADA would be asking questions. What quantum computing means for sport is nothing short of astonishing.
For example, currently sports coaches can sift biomechanical data and adjust training programs, fine-tune tactics, and predict injuries, with QC, they will do it with such speed and accuracy, it’ll look like witchcraft.
Alternatively, imagine an ultra-lightweight kit being designed using quantum simulations to perfect the molecular structure, the result will be so advanced, today’s trainers will look like clogs. Equally, quantum-enhanced probability models will calculate betting odds based on countless variables, even psychological factors. This has the potential to turn your weekend punt into something that feels closer to insider trading.
I don’t want to give you the impression that you need to panic buy a QC PC – you can’t; this stuff is still very early stage. I am simply putting this onto your radar in the way it came onto mine.
Understand that quantum computing isn’t just another tech trend, it’s genuinely revolutionary. It’s the leap forward that will separate the future from the past in ways we’ve barely started to understand. It’s fast, it’s powerful, and it’s very, very cool.
If you don’t believe me, just wait three to seven years. By then, your smartphone will look positively Victorian … and your clogs might look like a 2025 sports shoe.
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