New gen AI capabilities this year enhance course insights, improve highlight reels and help bring the mobile experience to Apple Vision Pro.
Golf fans — technically called «patrons» — in Augusta, Georgia, for the final round of the 88th Masters Tournament can indulge in pimento cheese sandwiches (and peach ice cream sandwiches) in plain view of the azaleas and dogwoods at Amen Corner, which includes holes 11, 12 and 13. But they won’t have any mobile devices on hand. Electronics are strictly prohibited.
That’s where the millions of golf fans who’ll tune in to the tournament on TV (12 million last year) have an advantage thanks to increasingly elaborate tournament-tracking options beyond simply viewing the Masters on TV. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Here’s how to watch the Masters.)
And now, of course, it includes AI — generative AI, to be precise.
While AI has been part of the Masters experience for several years, gen AI first came on the scene in 2023 via an English language narration feature for app and site content. That, of course, was also the year gen AI went mainstream following the launches of ChatGPT, Gemini (known originally as Bard), Claude and Copilot. As consumers have experimented with the technology to write poetry, generate fanciful images, compose symphonies and perhaps even get tips on how to improve their golf swings, gen AI has been infiltrating our lives further and further.
So it’s perhaps no surprise the 2024 Masters is availing itself of the technology to provide course insights through its app, to improve highlight reels and to enable segments of its first experience on the Apple Vision Pro device.
The technology changes, but the goal remains the same: enhancing the mobile and site experience for fans who can’t be in Augusta.
The Masters is a legendary four-day golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in the first week of April. After the first two rounds on Thursday and Friday, the top 50 players move on to the final rounds. It culminates on Sunday when the winner is awarded the tournament’s iconic green jacket (and about $3 million).
American golfer Scottie Scheffler, currently ranked the top player in the world, ended Saturday at seven under par, which gave him the solo lead. But Americans Collin Morikawa (-6), Max Homa (-5) and Bryson DeChambeau (-3), along with Swedish golfer Ludvig Åberg (-4), are not far behind.
Tiger Woods’ hopes of winning a sixth Masters to tie Jack Nicklaus for the most victories overall dimmed on Saturday as he sank to a career-worst score of 82 (par is 72). And Rory McIlroy’s hopes of completing a career grand slam with his first Master victory also took a hit on Saturday as he finished one under par. McIlroy begins play on Sunday tied for 21st while Woods is tied for 51st.
