What AI means for races

What AI means for races

As 2025 kicks off, many of us are talking about how AI will impact our future. While we don’t know every way that AI will alter our lives, experts agree that its recent break throughs are significant and will change how the world operates.

I don’t know the full impact that AI will have on races, but here are 3 things that AI experts say and what I believe they mean for races.

1. What AI experts say: AI will become smarter than humans in 3-10 years.

   • What it means for races: Regardless if AI or humans are smarter, humans will continue racing against other humans. Humans are obsessed with other humans. We care more about how we compare to other humans than how we compare to other species. This holds true even if humans are not the best at something. Humans already are not the fastest species, yet we compare our running times to other humans (especially other humans of the same sex and similar age), not faster animals like horses and cheetahs.

2. What AI experts say: AI will reshape industries, reshuffle the workforce and potentially create a crisis of meaning.

   • What it means for races: As the world changes, people will search for new ways to get meaning. Uplifting our communities with memorable events and pushing our bodies by running challenging races will remain 2 reliable (and largely foolproof) ways to create meaning in our lives. Data from Strava’s annual report shows that more people are already turning to their local run community to find meaning with run club participation increasing by 59% in 2024.

3. What AI experts say: The cost of compute will continue getting less expensive, so AI will become cheaper and more accessible.

   • What it means for races: Tasks necessary to organize a race will become automated helping to streamline event prep work and solve logistical challenges. By delegating menial planning tasks to AI, hosting a race should become easier.

The bottom line: AI represents an exciting new technology that I expect to positively impact races.

— Ian

Get inspired to elevate your race

If you would like to simplify race logistics and grow your event, listen to Run The Day customers or schedule time to talk.