Premier League refs to be fully replaced by robots and AI in next 30 years, expert says

In the ever-evolving world of football, the role of referees may soon be transformed by the rise of artificial intelligence (AI).

According to Aldo Comi, CEO of Soccerment, a leading global football analytics provider, robots could replace human referees within the next three decades. While AI technology is already making its mark in officiating through tools like VAR and goalline technology, its influence is expected to grow significantly in the future.

Comi predicts that advancements in computer vision and the increasing number of cameras on the pitch will enhance the effectiveness of AI-powered machines. With access to high-quality data and sophisticated models, these machines could potentially make decisions as referees based on what they observe on the field.

Comi told the PA News agency: "Computer vision will be more and more effective in the next few years and the number of cameras on the pitch will only increase. The amount of data that is tagged and the quality of the models that are trained with that data will increase exponentially and thanks to that you will have AI models that can make refereeing decisions on the back of what they see on the pitch.