For those wanting a little more excitement when it comes to smart speakers, Google’s newest investment uses NFL players’ voices to answers questions on Google Home devices.
StatMuse received an investment from the Google Assistant Investment program for an undisclosed amount, as reported by Business Insider. Describing itself as a creative technology company, StatMuse’s site states it is the leader in conversational AI for sports.
To use StatMuse, all users have to do is say, “Okay Google, talk to StatMuse.”
According to their site, StatMuse gives instant answers to NBA, NFL, MLB, and NHL related questions. So far, it features the voices of 25 celebrity athletes, including Le’Veon Bell, Terrell Owens, LeSean McCoy, and others.
A Google spokesperson told Business Insider, “We think StatMuse is using voice in a really interesting way, giving beloved sports stars a chance to add some magic to the Google Assistant.”
Russell Okung is one of the advisors for StatMuse, which is no surprise. Okung is well invested in tech and even started the Greater Foundation. Co-founded with his Oklahoma State teammate Andrew McGee, the foundation brings the “limitless potential of the technology sector” to disadvantaged and underserved communities.
StatMuse is available on multiple platforms, including Amazon’s Echo and Microsoft’s Cortana. It also has plugins for Slack, Facebook Messenger, and an iOS app. StatMuse is the officially licensed AI of the NFL Players Association.