KAUST Academy launches summer program in sports artificial intelligence in collaboration with Vista Equity Partners and Stats Perform
In a pioneering initiative that brings together data science, sports technology, and workforce development, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (“KAUST”) launched an intensive summer training program titled "Artificial Intelligence in Sports." The program was done in strategic partnership with Vista Equity Partners (“Vista”), a leading global technology investor, and Stats Perform, a Vista portfolio company and global authority in artificial intelligence (AI) and sports data analytics.
In support of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, this strategic partnership demonstrates a commitment to investing in local talent and delivering impactful educational experiences that link academic knowledge with real-world applications. It also aligns with Saudi Arabia’s preparations for hosting the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
Dr. Sultan Albarakati, Director of KAUST Academy and Associate Vice President, Saudi Talent Development at KAUST: “At KAUST Academy, we have developed high-quality AI training programs and are eager to partner with organizations such as Vista and Stats Perform. These partnerships provide students with opportunities to apply their knowledge to real-world problems. Collaborating with Vista and Stats Perform brings us a step closer to achieving self-sufficiency in building a thriving AI startup ecosystem in the Kingdom.”
“At Vista, we’ve seen firsthand how technology has the ability to unlock human potential and transform the enterprise,” said Robert F. Smith, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners. “This partnership with KAUST and Stats Perform brings together world-class expertise in AI, data science, and sports to empower the next generation of innovators in Saudi Arabia. By equipping students with real-world skills and experiences, we are helping to build a foundation of talent that will shape the future of sports, technology, and digital transformation globally.”
The program welcomed high performing students with a basic understanding of Python and machine learning and a demonstrated interest in AI, data science, and sports technologies. Participants worked through 20 intensive sessions comprised of a mix of lectures, interactive labs, and competitions led by distinguished international experts in these three fields. Using real data from top football competitions in Europe as well as the Saudi Pro League, participants gained hands-on experience working in performance analysis using spatiotemporal data, predictive modeling of match outcomes, computer vision applications for player tracking, and natural language processing for the creation of AI assistants.
These applications mirror the work done by professional sports leagues and teams globally using Stats Perform’s Opta data and OptaAI-powered services for match analysis, opposition analysis, tactical analysis and recruitment.
“We believe the next wave of AI will be driven by harnessing the vast data that exists within enterprises,” said Carl Mergele, Chief Executive Officer of Stats Perform. “In sports, no one has more enterprise-level sports data than Stats Perform. To fully unlock the potential of enterprise data, we must train the next generation of practitioners to understand and apply it. The intersection of AI and sport is the perfect vehicle to provide this education and experience."
Through this collaboration, KAUST reaffirms its growing role as a catalyst for digital transformation, strengthening its global ecosystem of partners dedicated to solving real-world challenges at the intersection of technology, sports, and advanced analytics.