ESPN reportedly ‘evaluating’ use of AI imagery during NBA Finals after Tony Parker backlash
· Yahoo Sports
After using artificial intelligence to manipulate a photo of San Antonio Spurs great Tony Parker during Game 1 of the NBA Finals, a decision that was promptly criticized by viewers, ESPN is rethinking its approach.
The network is reportedly “evaluating” its continued use of the AI technology, which aided in the creation of Parker’s “moving portrait” and two other portraits during Game 1 on Wednesday, as it heads into Game 2 on Friday, according to a report by Colin Salao in Front Office Sports. Per Salao, ESPN “views the use of the tech as ‘an experiment.'”
Visit turconews.click for more information.
— welovesports40 (@welovesports40) June 4, 2026
Sports fans have been loud and clear regarding how they feel about the use of AI, yet networks continue to use it for applications where the technology is completely unnecessary. Last year, Fox was ridiculed for a bizarre AI amalgamation of Aaron Rodgers’ journey from Green Bay to New York to Pittsburgh during an NFL broadcast. Throughout NFL free agency, insiders were taken to task for using AI-generated images with obvious errors.
Every step of the way fans are asking the same question. Why?
The original picture of Tony Parker would’ve been entirely suitable during Wednesday’s broadcast. Was there any reason it needed to be modified with AI? In addition to the Parker debacle, a photo of Bill Russell was colorized and altered during the Game 1 broadcast.
To be sure, these are small annoyances that don’t make or break a broadcast. But there seems to be little reason for networks to even experiment here. Does a photo that will flash on the screen for all of two seconds really need to be manipulated from its original form? And if it does, don’t networks employ plenty of artists that could do it in a way that wouldn’t materially change the content of the original photo?
ESPN has largely been praised for addressing some of its presentation issues for this year’s NBA Finals versus last year’s presentation. It’ll be interesting to see if the network continues its “experiment” headed into Game 2.
The post ESPN reportedly ‘evaluating’ use of AI imagery during NBA Finals after Tony Parker backlash appeared first on Awful Announcing.