ESPN recently decided to discontinue its AI-generated ‘moving portraits’ after facing criticism during the NBA Finals. These digital animations were introduced during the first game between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs.
As the game paused for a commercial break, ABC aired what was meant to be an animated depiction of Spurs legend Tony Parker. However, the execution missed the mark, leading to widespread disapproval. Viewers described the rendering as unsettling, with noticeable distortions to the player’s facial features. Many NBA fans quickly took to social media to express their discontent.
“Why use AI when they literally have the pictures?” one fan questioned online.
In addition to Tony Parker, ESPN also applied this technology to create animations of Boston Celtics’ Bill Russell and Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant. These graphics were not used in subsequent games of the Finals and will not be shown again during the series.
A source from the network revealed that AI tools were used for creating these graphics. ESPN management is now reconsidering the use of such technology in future broadcasts.
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