REDMOND, Wash. — Microsoft’s artificial intelligence technology will play a role in the real-time decisions made by the Seattle Seahawks coaching staff during Sunday’s Super Bowl matchup.
Throughout the game, Seahawks coaches and players will rely on Microsoft Surface tablets loaded with AI-powered tools that allow them to review plays, analyze formations, and adjust strategies on the fly.
Behind the scenes, data from every snap is captured by cameras installed throughout the stadium and delivered to the tablets in real time, according to Monica Robbins, Microsoft’s head of strategic partnerships.
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“Most of the time when you’re watching an NFL game, you really see the device,” Robbins said. “But the exciting thing is what happens on the other side.”
The tablets are equipped with Microsoft’s artificial intelligence technology, including tools that allow coaches to quickly sort through game situations, such as down-and-distance scenarios. Instead of manually reviewing hours of footage, coaches can filter plays instantly to find relevant information.
“If we know we’re going to be up against third and long and want to figure out the best defensive strategy, that used to require sorting through a lot of plays,” Robbins said. “Now, with Copilot filtering, I can go right to third and long and see the formations and outcomes immediately.”
Microsoft also showed KOMO News the Excel dashboards used by analysts positioned at the top of the stadium. The dashboards provide real-time player and play information and are made available to teams just 30 minutes before kickoff.
“This is the dashboard they get access to before the game,” Robbins said. “It’s a real-time player and plays information coming in.”
Analysts can use the technology to quickly surface insights, such as highlighting players who have logged more than 50 snaps during a game. The NFL limits access to the dashboards to ensure competitive balance. All teams receive the same data at the same time, leaving it up to each organization to determine how best to use it.
“What they do with it — that’s the magic that every team brings to the table,” Robbins said.
While fans may only see coaches pacing the sidelines on game day, Robbins said many more people across the organization are working behind the scenes to support the team.
“You may see the coaches on the field,” she said. “But there are so many people across the organization helping the Seahawks get to where they are.”
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Microsoft technology is used by all 32 NFL teams.