[SeoulTech x IT Donga Joint Planning] Seoul National University of Science and Technology (hereafter referred to as SeoulTech) operates various support programs to aid the growth of startups, including preliminary and early-stage startup packages, makerspaces, and global collaborations. Furthermore, in collaboration with IT Donga, it provides global news to assist startups in overseas promotion and expansion, introducing promising deep tech startups both domestically and internationally.


It is a common sight at sports facilities to find tennis courts empty during weekdays but fully booked on weekends, making usage difficult. Amateur club tournaments often involve disputes over whether a ball is 'in' or 'out'. Meanwhile, sports facility managers ponder how to reduce weekday vacancy rates and operate facilities efficiently. This scenario is common not only in Korea but worldwide.

A startup is attempting to solve this issue with AI technology. Shot AI (CEO Kyungsoo Noh), a sports tech company growing through SeoulTech's early-stage startup package global competency enhancement program, is one such company. They emphasize that AI-based unmanned referee systems and global league platforms can innovate the sports market.

AI widely adopted in professional arenas, now moving to public sports

The integration of AI and sports is already underway in various fields with notable achievements. A recent example is the 2024 Paris Olympics. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) officially introduced AI-based technology at the event. In gymnastics, the AI-based Judging Support System (JSS), jointly developed by Fujitsu and the IOC, automatically analyzed athletes' movements to assist scoring. 3D sensors and AI measured athletes' body angles, rotation speeds, and landing accuracy in real-time, enhancing the objectivity of referee judgments.


AI technology is also active in football. The 'semi-automatic offside detection technology', introduced at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, tracks the positions of the ball and players 50 times per second to determine offside within seconds. FIFA announced that this technology reduced the average time for VAR (Video Assistant Referee) decisions from 70 seconds to 25 seconds.

Meanwhile, Google significantly enhanced the multimodal video analysis capabilities in its Gemini 2.5 Flash AI model, announced in May 2024. This model is expected to analyze sports game videos in real-time, understanding players' detailed movements, tactical patterns, and game flow.

AI system installation possible in 30 minutes? A challenge from a Korean startup

As the AI sports tech market expands globally, domestic startups are also actively challenging this stage. Shot AI is a representative example.

The core of Shot AI's solution is 'accessibility'. While systems used in the Olympics or World Cup require costs in the billions of KRW and specialized personnel, the Shot AI system can be installed on a tennis court with a module consisting of two 4K 60fps cameras, requiring only power and internet connection, completing installation within 30 minutes. It features automatic calibration (optimization), eliminating the need for technicians.

Notably, the business model is noteworthy. Instead of merely selling AI judgment systems, it provides an integrated platform from court reservations to league operations and prize distribution. This is attractive not only to facility users but also to facility operators.

Facility operators can manage courts without reservation fees (only card fees and VAT apply) and earn additional revenue through automated weekly unmanned tournaments.

According to Shot AI, after adopting the system for pilot operation, the weekday utilization rate of tennis courts increased from 40% to over 90%. This is because users, previously concentrated on weekends and evenings, now visit courts for league matches during weekday afternoons. Shot AI emphasizes that this allows for significant additional revenue, enabling rapid recovery of initial setup costs.


From professional athletes to weekend enthusiasts… a league for everyone

Another reason Shot AI is gaining attention is its 'popularity'. While existing AI sports solutions targeted professionals or top amateurs, Shot AI aims for a global league system where anyone can participate regardless of skill or nationality.

The weekly online tournaments are divided into various levels, allowing participants to choose leagues that match their skill and risk tolerance, competing with people from around the world.

The AI unmanned referee system automatically detects judgments such as in/out or foot faults. Participants can challenge and replay decisions, and unsportsmanlike conduct is sanctioned through a claim function. All matches are conducted in full sets (best of three sets or best of two sets), providing an immersive experience akin to professional matches.

After the match, highlight videos and analysis reports are automatically generated. Players can review their performance and improve skills through AI-analyzed data such as speed, maximum rally count, and winning shots in specific areas.


Vietnam, Singapore, UAE… turning small courts into global arenas

Shot AI is actively targeting the global market beyond Korea. Based on the Korean market, it has secured a global network for expansion into Vietnam, Singapore, and is preparing to expand into Taiwan, Japan, Europe, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the UAE, focusing on tennis, pickleball, and badminton.

Particularly noteworthy is the 'global network effect'. As Shot AI partner courts in each country connect into a unified platform, even small local courts become global arenas. A player in Seoul can compete in the same league as a player in Singapore and challenge for large prize tournaments through seasonal global rankings. Shot AI emphasizes that this network expansion could create a market worth up to KRW 1.7 trillion (approximately USD 1.2 billion) annually.

The future of sports tech, innovation in 'experience' rather than technology

Shot AI's case suggests the direction of AI sports tech. The focus is not on 'how accurate it is' but 'how many people benefit'. AI technology should not be exclusive to a few professional athletes but a tool for general enthusiasts to enjoy sports fairly and enjoyably, which is Shot AI's goal.

Currently, Shot AI is strengthening its global capabilities with support from SeoulTech's early-stage startup package program, receiving practical assistance in global networking, overseas market entry strategy formulation, and investment attraction preparation.

The sports environment, where AI judges and the world connects into one league, is now becoming a reality. AI is expected to play a significant role in allowing everyone to experience a new sports culture where they can compete fairly and have their skills recognized, beyond just watching sports from outside the arena.

IT Donga Reporter Kim Young-woo (pengo@itdonga.com)

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