Dubai: Thomas Pramotedham does know his cricket – or more to the point, what data analytics mixed with AI can do for players, teams and coaches.

“We are working with Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (for the UAE’s ILT20), which is an extension of (Bollywood superstar) Shah Rukh Khan’s KKR franchise,” said Pramotedham, who is the CEO of Presight AI, part of the Abu Dhabi headquartered G42 conglomerate and in the closing stages of its IPO.

“Data analytics can be applied in how a batter matches up to a particular bowler, the wagon wheel distribution, even for an insight into pitch conditions. In time, data analytics can help talent scouts get better at what they are doing – disrupt the whole ‘moneyball’ scouting game.”

Pramotedham sures makes his point to anyone who thought data analytics and AI was only for governments delivering smart services or digitization, or to be deployed in financial services and high-tech industries.

Presight AI in fact has marked out sports as a key vertical where its insights can be made to work for all-round good results.

That’s when Pramotedham changes tack, and refers to another sport – football – to deliver a definitive statement. “By making data analytics available, we want to help talent scouts find the next Ronaldo or Messi before they are discovered,” he adds.

Plenty on Presight AI’s plate

That may be for the future to determine. For now, Presight already has lots happening, whether these are big-ticket projects for the UAE federal authorities as well as overseas, in Africa and Central Asia. Plus, there is the IPO, the subscription for which closes today. (Based on market talk, Presight AI had no issue hitting the over-subscribed mark as soon as the IPO opened. This is the second G42 owned entity that’s up for an ADX listing, the first was Bayanat AI.)

More to follow…