NBC Sports is deploying Nippon TV’s viztrick AiDi, an on-device AI solution, for its coverage of several live events in 2026.
Without requiring internet connectivity, AiDi delivers real-time player tracking, face tagging, object recognition, 2.5D telestration, auto-score graphics, and motion data analytics. Automatic 9:16 cropping with auto-tracking using highly intuitive operation enables incremental streaming business for mobile phones.
Tim Canary, SVP of Engineering, NBC Sports, explained, “We were looking for the right tool for streaming live sports that would automatically crop athletes to a 9:16 aspect ratio with auto tracking. AiDi is that tool. AiDi uniquely provides real-time processing with minimal delay, which is key for live sports content.
“AiDi was designed and developed by broadcasters, so it solves the specific challenges we face every day. It easily switches between AI mode and manual mode. This is particularly useful when the scene switches from a tight to a wide shot.
“If AI can’t grab the right athlete instantly during a camera switch, you can easily re-track them manually with AiDi. You must never lose the athlete you’re tracking, which is a very important detail for our live coverage.”
Unlike cloud-based alternatives, AiDi’s on-device, real-time processing ensures consistent performance with low latency, regardless of internet connectivity, making it ideal for outside broadcast environments and remote production scenarios.
Satoshi Kanemura, President & COO, FOR-A America, which was responsible for the sales and delivery of viztrick AiDi, declared, “viztrick AiDi represents a fundamental shift in how AI can enhance sports broadcasting.
“By operating entirely on-device without internet dependency, it provides broadcast-grade reliability while delivering intelligent automation that empowers creative teams to focus on storytelling and less time on routine tasks.”
Nippon TV and FOR-A customised certain features of AiDi based on feedback from a wide range of customers, including NBC Sports. AiDi, affirmed Canary, was designed by broadcasters who know the specific challenges involved in live sports.
He explained, “When we provided input into the design, Nippon TV and FOR-A were open and collaborative. It was a partnership resulting in a sports-production-centric workflow with an intuitive graphical user interface (GUI) that’s extremely easy and practical to use.”