This Thursday LaLiga presented Alex, a 27-year-old man transformed into a virtual influencer through generative artificial intelligence and with which the football entity intends to increase its communication channels towards new audiences.
Alex, the name chosen by LaLiga for the first virtual sports ‘influencer’ in Spain, arrives with the aim of connecting with other audiences and new formats. The assistant, created from generative artificial intelligence, has a large database and knowledge to be able to communicate and disseminate information regarding LaLiga competitions or games, such as Fantasy.
In addition, the virtual assistant will have accounts on the social networks of TikTok –Alex_laliga– and Instagram –Alex.laliga– that will allow him to interact with fans. This particular signing also has the ability to speak multiple languages and appear in different settings at the same time.
A signing that was announced during a promotional event at The Cube space, in Madrid, and which included the participation of the president of LaLiga, Javier Tebas, along with the director of Implementation and Development of Artificial Intelligence of LaLiga, Javier Gil.
Tebas stated that Alex will be a tool that will allow LaLiga to transmit “knowledge and data” from its tournaments (First Division and Second Division), becoming a true ‘influencer’. “You will have the ability to communicate much more and it is time to be pioneers,” he added.
The president also commented that technology “helps” LaLiga to be “more effective.” “AI reasons and interprets data, and you can practically ask it whatever you want. If you don’t advance, you’ll be left out; and LaLiga is a pioneer in everything that involves technology and artificial intelligence,” Tebas added during the press event.
For his part, Gil stated that Alex is the product of LaLiga’s “commitment” to “new technologies and generative artificial intelligence,” although he noted that it is currently in production for “internal consumption.”
Finally, LaLiga reported that Alex is created with an ethical component in line with the values of its championship and that ensures that it aims to improve people’s lives, as well as have a positive impact on society. A subsequent press release praised this ethical code “designed specifically for virtual characters” and developed by the University of Malaga “which promotes positive and respectful behavior.”