University of Texas launches AI initiative Bevo Lab for coaches and athletes across 21 varsity programs
The University of Texas athletic department has unveiled Bevo Lab, an artificial intelligence initiative designed to build sport-specific chatbots and roster evaluation models for coaches and student-athletes across its 21 varsity programs. The project is led by Kirk Goldsberry, now executive director of the Business of Sports Institute at UT's McCombs School of Business, and is backed by Dell Technologies, Google Cloud, and SHI International. According to Goldsberry, the tools will allow coaches to query opponent data in plain language rather than relying on spreadsheets, lowering the technical barrier for staff without computer science backgrounds. Goldsberry also addressed ethical concerns around student-athlete data privacy and argued the initiative will create new jobs and vocational opportunities for students rather than reduce headcount.
A strategy without data is a wish.
Why it matters
For service providers: The initiative raises questions about data governance and privacy standards for student-athlete information that other institutions building similar programs will likely need to address.
For brands: Dell Technologies, Google Cloud, and SHI International are named as corporate partners in a high-profile university AI initiative, signaling a growing market for institutional sports tech partnerships.
For coaches: Coaches across Texas's 21 varsity programs may gain AI-powered decision support for game preparation, recruiting, and transfer portal evaluation.
For athletes: College athletes at Texas will have access to AI-driven performance and analytics tools tailored to their individual data.
Read the full story at Front Office Sports
Sources
- Front Office Sports · Ellyn Briggs: Kirk Goldsberry Leads Texas’s AI Push and Understands the Skeptics