AI is even used by ultras

It happened. Eventually, artificial intelligence has entered the world of football, involving the ultras. It took place during Napoli-Cagliari, the match that secured the Scudetto for Antonio Conte’s team. Before kick-off, the fans in the Curva B displayed a choreography featuring two children: one wearing a Napoli jersey, shown pulling the Tricolore from the Inter jersey worn by the other child, who is running slightly behind. This served as a metaphor for the league standings, which on the final matchday saw the two teams separated by just one point. The artwork was depicted in a style reminiscent of early 20th-century oil paintings on canvas, with its setting and color palette evoking a timeless quality. This sensation was heightened by the elaborate frame that encased the piece. “We have painted this season, now all that’s left is the signature and the work of art is complete. Let's go, scugnizzi,” read the message accompanying the choreography.

A different kind of choreography in the way it was conceived, a printed image generated by artificial intelligence. Usually, choreographies are collective actions, a way to visually express the tribal unity that characterizes ultras groups. They are mosaics that, once designed, require the participation of the entire section where they will be displayed, brought to life by assembling all the individual pieces. This process involves logistical planning beforehand, including distributing cards or flags to the exact spots where they will be raised. This step is also time-consuming, and additional time is needed to spray-paint the designs that sometimes complete these choreographies.

Artificial intelligence applied to the world of ultras can significantly reduce production time. There will always be a human component that remains, as it will always be necessary to provide input to the AI to generate the image. Nevertheless, the process of creation is expedited, the production focuses solely on the fundamentals, and the on-site "construction" is removed. Prints like these allow organized groups to produce choreographies even at short notice. Undoubtedly, traditional graphic designs will continue to endure, as they are a defining feature of ultras groups' artistic expression. But what we have seen at the Maradona Stadium can be considered the first example of a trend that may develop in the stands.