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IBM unveils new AI-powered fan features in the US Open app for 2026
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The U.S. Open is back in Queens this week, as the final Grand Slam of the year brings millions of fans together at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center to witness some of the best men’s and women’s players in the world competing for glory.
As fans gear up to soak in hundreds of matches over the next couple of weeks, IBM and the United States Tennis Association announced new and enhanced AI-powered fan features within the popular U.S. Open app and USOpen.org for this year’s tournament.
For decades now, IBM has been working with the U.S. Open to truly evolve the fan experience, especially in recent years with AI-powered innovations that are designed to cut through all the noise and allow fans to personalize their tennis experience at their fingertips.
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The U.S. Open app powered by IBM has fan-favorite features, as well as new ones, for the 2026 Grand Slam tournament. (IBM / Fox News)
That experience has evolved into one in which the fans demand AI-powered features because accuracy, not speed, has been shaping the digital sports realm for those consumers. According to new global research commissioned by IBM and conducted by Morning Consult, sports fans’ digital expectations are evolving as platform choices multiply, with 46% of more than 20,000 sports fans across 12 countries saying their expectations for digital sports experiences have increased in just the past one to two years. Also, 72% of surveyed fans say they use sports apps as their central hub for fandom, while 40% said having their information in one place is their leading motivation to follow along.
As a result, IBM continues to transform that experience in a way fans can enjoy one of the best tournaments in all of sports this week.
“I think we have such an incredible reputation in tennis through our two [Grand] Slam partnerships, as well as The Masters, where there’s this anticipation for the event, but also to see how we’re going to keep them connected,” Kameryn Stanhouse, vice president of sports and entertainment partnerships at IBM, told Fox Business in a recent interview.
“That’s one of the things that I love about what we do in sports is that we actually leverage technology as a way to foster conversations and connection. You can talk to people whether they’re able to go to tennis matches [or not]. We’ve got 1 million people that are going to go to the [UTSA] Billie Jean Tennis Center across the two weeks, and then 14 million people are going to be engaged at home on their couch, but able to feel like they’re courtside and engage on that second-screen experience.”
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What will that second-screen experience look like for the 2026 U.S. Open? First, an all-new Live Updates homepage will provide fans with a smarter and more personalized way to follow the action they care about the most. Stanhouse emphasized fans being able to choose their favorite players and quickly zero in on those matches, while getting insight and stories they care about in the process.
Another new feature Stanhouse is very excited to see in real time is the Serve Quality metric, which is a “first-to-market feature” that provides a whole new context to one of the most important aspects of tennis.
Last year, American women’s star Coco Gauff came into the U.S. Open with a new coach specifically to help with her serves. Service can be the difference between winning and losing, and those generally with superior serves win matches.

Atmosphere during the IBM US Open Event at Madison Square Park on Sept. 4, 2025 in New York City. (John Lamparski/Getty Images / Getty Images)
This new feature from IBM will be available across all 254 singles matches, where the AI-powered tool will use advanced limb-tracking technology developed with IBM Bob to help analyze the precise mechanics of every serve. And the continuous stream of this live data will be managed by IBM Confluent.
“We basically trained this model to look at all the historic white papers, all the research about serves. Then, we’re looking at 21 specific joint points on the body – everything from the elbow to the big toe that looks at momentum,” Stanhouse explained. “The position of a serve on the court, where it lands. We have six different coordinates we’re looking at all the way to the racket positioning. Synthesizing all of that, it’s doing snapshots 50 times per second – lots of data points in this one. But overall, 1.2 billion data points that’s going to be analyzed over the tournament to give you a Serve Quality number.”
Also, the new “Key Moments” feature within the app takes the popular “Likelihood to Win” feature to the next level to help fans understand why someone is winning – not just who is up in the match. The “Likelihood to Win” feature became a hit as it calculated each player’s probability of victory using an AI-powered analysis of current and historical statistics, expert opinion and match momentum.

General view of the 2026 U.S. Open app powered by IBM. (IBM / Fox News)
Now, “Key Moments” will provide additional, more rich information, to summarize those momentum shifts in matches.
“We’re looking at that structured and unstructured data, taking AI to make an analysis, and then make a pre-match projection that takes into consideration not only how they’ve been playing, but what’s the media saying? What’s been said on social media? What are the broadcasters saying? Did someone get a new tennis coach? Do they have a lingering injury? So, we take all that into consideration and provide a pre-match projection,” Stanhouse added.
Finally, as fans have become more accustomed to an AI experience over the years, IBM’s enhanced “Match Chat” will act as an interactive companion to help provide whatever insight is needed to help guide the user through the tournament. Everything from analysis to finding out Serve Quality, to simply figuring out how to pronounce someone’s name properly, Match Chat, powered by watsonx Orchestrate, is a collection of AI agents and fit-for-purpose models trained to give fast, accurate responses that keeps fans informed whenever they need it.

The Likelihood to Win feature on the U.S. Open app is a fan-favorite in recent years, providing insight on which player has the upper hand throughout the match. (IBM / Fox News)
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For Stanhouse and her team, the U.S. Open is simply another opportunity to showcase what IBM can do for not just the sports world, but drive the conversation for other companies to utilize the fun, engaging technology they’ve developed for themselves.
“Everybody says my team has the best job at IBM. There’s many, many great jobs, but I think what we do is so exciting because there’s a tangible output that people actually see and people are waiting for. Each tournament that we go to is not only a learning opportunity because we’re constantly thinking about how we’re going to evolve things for the next year, but it’s such a pay-off to see everything come to life. Because what we do is not just serve the fan experience, but we’re so creating unique conversation pieces for our clients. They see how IBM technology makes all of this possible and inspire what you could do with us.”
Business
(VIDEO) New Galaxy S27 Ultra CAD Renders Show Conflicting Camera Designs as Fans Blast ‘Atrocious’ Look Online
A newly leaked CAD render of Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S27 Ultra has revealed a rear camera design that diverges sharply from previous leaks, sparking a wave of negative reaction from fans online even as the conflicting nature of competing leaks underscores just how unsettled Samsung’s final design choice appears to remain.
Well-known tipster Ice Universe shared the alleged CAD render on the social platform X, according to GSMArena, showing a rear camera arrangement that closely resembles the plateau-style camera module Apple introduced with the iPhone 17 Pro. The render depicts two camera sensors positioned in separate individual cutouts, alongside a third camera housed together with the flash in a shared pill-shaped cutout. According to the tipster, that pill-shaped cutout could contain a 5x telephoto camera, which is rumored to replace the 3x telephoto lens found on the current Galaxy S26 Ultra.
The design shown in Ice Universe’s render stands in direct contrast to earlier leaks pointing toward a fundamentally different rear camera layout for the device. Multiple prior reports had suggested Samsung was planning to move away from the separate camera rings that have defined recent Galaxy Ultra models entirely, replacing them with a single, unified horizontal camera island intended to give the phone a cleaner, more streamlined appearance, a design direction that differs substantially from the plateau-style module now shown in Ice Universe’s newly leaked render.
Adding a further layer of uncertainty, separate tipster Sonny Dickson shared two additional CAD renders of the Galaxy S27 Ultra, according to GSMArena. Dickson’s leaked renders suggest Samsung could offer the upcoming Ultra model in two distinct sizes, a potential departure from the single-size approach the company has typically taken with its flagship Ultra device in recent generations.
GSMArena cautioned that these CAD renders should be treated with a degree of skepticism given how directly they contradict earlier leaks pointing toward the horizontal camera module design, illustrating the broader pattern of conflicting information that has characterized much of the Galaxy S27 Ultra rumor cycle so far, more than six months ahead of the device’s anticipated launch.
Reaction from readers to the newly leaked design was swift and overwhelmingly negative. One commenter on GSMArena’s report expressed blunt disapproval, writing, “god no, please I hope this is not real. absolutely atrocious design.” Another reader offered a more pointed comparison, writing, “The renders are a bit like ‘If an iPhone and a Pixel had a retarded child…’” A third commenter drew a comparison to a lesser-known device from a rival manufacturer, writing, “It looks basically identical to the Honor 600, which is probably the second worst iPhone clone, only after the 600 Pro.”
The negative reception to the plateau-style design reflects a broader pattern of skepticism that has followed Samsung’s Galaxy S27 Ultra rumor cycle throughout the year, as leaks have repeatedly shifted between multiple competing camera design concepts without any single direction gaining clear, sustained consensus among tipsters covering the device.
Beyond the camera housing debate, other previously reported leaks have painted a broader picture of what Samsung’s next flagship Ultra device may include. According to earlier reporting on the device, the Galaxy S27 Ultra is expected to feature a 2-nanometer Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro for Galaxy processor, a 5,700-to-5,800 milliamp-hour silicon-carbon battery, and a triple-lens rear camera system built around a 200-megapixel main sensor. Samsung is also reportedly planning to introduce a new Galaxy S27 Pro model positioned between the existing Plus and Ultra tiers, expanding the lineup to four distinct devices for the first time.
Samsung’s camera hardware sourcing for the device has also remained a point of ongoing debate among leakers. While some earlier reports suggested Samsung might adopt Sony’s newly released 200-megapixel LYT-901 sensor for the Ultra’s main camera, prominent leaker Ice Universe has more recently indicated Samsung currently has no plans to use that specific sensor for its next flagship, according to separate reporting from Notebookcheck. Samsung is separately said to be developing its own new 200-megapixel ISOCELL sensor internally, though no leak has definitively confirmed which sensor will ultimately ship inside the production version of the Galaxy S27 Ultra.
The current wave of conflicting CAD renders adds to a broader trend in which Samsung’s design decisions for the device appear to remain genuinely unsettled this far ahead of its expected early-2027 launch, a pattern that has made the Galaxy S27 Ultra rumor cycle notably more volatile and inconsistent compared with some previous Galaxy flagship generations. Whether the plateau-style design shown in Ice Universe’s render, the horizontal unified camera module described in earlier leaks, or an entirely different configuration ultimately makes it into the shipping device remains an open question that industry observers expect will only be fully resolved once Samsung formally unveils the phone.
Given the strength of negative reaction to the newly leaked plateau-style design among GSMArena’s readership, some industry observers may interpret the backlash as an early signal of how a similar design choice could be received more broadly if Samsung ultimately moves forward with that camera layout for the production Galaxy S27 Ultra. As with all pre-announcement smartphone leaks, however, the specific design details shown across these various CAD renders remain unconfirmed by Samsung directly and are subject to change as the company continues finalizing its plans ahead of the device’s eventual official unveiling, expected sometime in the first quarter of 2027.
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Target apologizes for Halloween clown costume critics linked to Blackface
‘The Big Money Show’ panel discusses AFT President Randi Weingarten launching a back-to-school boycott of Target, over its silence regarding immigration operations.
Target has apologized for a circus clown Halloween costume that critics accused of evoking Blackface and 19th-century minstrel shows following online backlash.
The costume was sold as the “Kids’ Glows Under Blacklight Circus Clown Halloween Costume,” according to the since-deleted listing. The costume was sold as part of the retailer’s seasonal Hyde and EEK Boutique brand.
Target removed the “offensive” costume and said that it should never have been featured in its stores.
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Target has apologized for a circus clown Halloween costume that critics accused of evoking Blackface and 19th-century minstrel shows. (REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo / Reuters Photos)
“As a company, we know we got this wrong, and we are deeply sorry. The costume is offensive and should never have been part of our assortment. It is no longer available for sale,” company spokesperson Brian Harper-Tibaldo said in a statement to FOX Business.
“We know this is especially hurtful for our Black guests, team members and partners. Removing the costume is an important first step, and the company is looking closely at how this happened and what needs to change to ensure this won’t happen again,” he continued.
The move to pull the costume comes after social media backlash in which critics accused the Minneapolis-based retailer of selling racist merchandise.

The costume was sold as the “Kids’ Glows Under Blacklight Circus Clown Halloween Costume.” (iStock / iStock)
“You really don’t have anyone left in Minneapolis to say, ‘Hey, that’s racist’? Y’all cut DEI and now you’ve got a minstrel clown costume for kids on your website,” one user said on Threads.
This comes on the heels of several reputational hits for the retailer that have hurt sales in recent years, including Target’s handling of its Pride Collection in 2023 and its rollback of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives after President Donald Trump returned to the White House.
POPULAR PRODUCT SOLD AT TARGET RECALLED DUE TO CONTAMINATION CONCERNS

Target removed the “offensive” costume and said that it should never have been featured in its stores. ( Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
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Target joined a broad corporate effort to scale back diversity initiatives after Trump issued a series of executive orders aimed at rooting out DEI.
The retailer scaled back initiatives aimed at increasing representation of Black employees and supporting Black-owned businesses and suppliers, saying it needed to stay in step with “the evolving external landscape.” The reversal drew backlash from some Black consumers and business owners who had supported or benefited from Target’s diversity efforts.
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Applecross block sold for $11.7m
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Earnings call transcript: Acrow posts strong revenue growth in H2 2026, shares fall

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Monadelphous net profit up 52pc
Shares in Zoran Bebic-led Monadelphous fell more than 10 per cent early on Tuesday, despite posting record revenue in FY26.
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Main Street Sports sues Comcast, Charter for underpaid licensing fees
A detailed view of a hand holding a Fanduel Sports Network branded microphone during an interview after the Detroit Pistons defeated the Boston Celtics at Little Caesars Arena on February 26, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan.
Nic Antaya | Getty Images
Main Street Sports, the now-defunct owner of a portfolio of regional sports networks, is suing cable companies Comcast and Charter Communications in separate lawsuits for what it alleges are underpaid licensing fees.
The company that began its winddown earlier this year is alleging that Comcast and Charter — the two largest pay TV providers in the U.S. — breached their contracts and underpaid Main Street in the earlier part of 2026 when its networks were still delivering NBA and NHL games to local markets across the country, according to the lawsuits, which were seen by CNBC.
The suits were filed in Delaware Superior Court on Monday. Representatives for Comcast and Charter didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
Main Street, the entity that originated as Fox Sports networks, has been through a series of owners since 2019, as well as several name changes. The company emerged from bankruptcy protection in early 2025, when its channels took on the name of FanDuel Sports Network. It had about 15 channels, and at one point after its bankruptcy exit aired games for about 30 teams across Major League Baseball, the National Hockey League and the National Basketball Association.
However, despite touting subscriber growth as recently as the spring, Main Street continued to face liquidity issues when its MLB fees payments were due, CNBC previously reported. The company had long been weighed down by a heavy debt load.
The issues led to its inevitable winddown. While it aired its final local MLB games in 2025, the company aired the entirety of the NBA regular season, as well as the NHL regular season and first round of playoffs this year.
Problems have been piling up for regional sports networks as the pay TV bundle continues to bleed subscribers.
Regional sports networks were once a lucrative business model for teams and leagues, as the channels pay high fees to air local games that trickle down to team payrolls. However the proliferation of cord cutting has led many pay TV distributors to rework their agreements with these channels.
Even the direct-to-consumer streaming offerings for these networks have been in a state of change. Last month, two of New York’s independently owned regional sports networks left their own streaming app for a deal to be distributed by streaming platform DAZN.
Business
Oil Price Today (August 25): Crude oil at $92 as investors digest US economic sanctions on Iran. What’s next for investors?
Brent crude futures were up 6 cents, or 0.1%, at $92.16 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was up 15 cents at $85.12. Both contracts fell more than 2% on Monday, with U.S. crude touching a one-week low as investors took profits following a rally over the previous two weeks.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday unveiled an expansion of sanctions aimed at cutting off Iran’s economic lifeline and forcing an end to the war between the two countries. He said countries would have to sever their business ties with Iran or risk being excluded from the dollar-based financial system.
Also read: ‘Economic D-Day’: US announces expansion of sanctions in ‘onslaught’ on Iran
Bessent did not identify the countries that would be targeted or say when the penalties would come into effect. He said countries would instead be given time to comply with the new directive.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Monday that Washington would not rule out using military force against Iran. However, the U.S. is also turning towards greater economic pressure, which analysts said had eased concerns over threats to Middle Eastern oil supplies from the war.
Tensions remain, however. An oil tanker was struck by an unidentified projectile and disabled on Tuesday northeast of Oman’s Ash Shishah, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said.Iran continues to insist that it should control the key Strait of Hormuz. Before the war began in February, the waterway typically carried cargoes equivalent to about 20% of global oil consumption. On Monday, Iran named 45 tankers that it said had violated its rules for crossing the strait and threatened action against them, including confiscating their cargoes.
Supply disruptions resulting from the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, which began on February 28, have led countries to draw down their commercial and strategic reserves.
Where are prices headed?
The duration of the disruption will be a key factor for crude prices. JPMorgan estimates that each additional month of disruption could add around $7 to $8 a barrel to Brent prices. If the disruption continues for three months, the bank expects average monthly Brent prices to reach around $114 a barrel.
Read more: Iran vows to retaliate after US widens sanctions
Goldman Sachs has also warned that Brent could climb to $120 a barrel if shipping disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most important oil transit route, persist.
At the same time, Goldman Sachs expects tensions in the Middle East to eventually ease under its base case. The bank forecasts Brent to average $80 a barrel in the fourth quarter and $75 a barrel next year. It said risks remained tilted to the upside, with disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea potentially lasting longer than expected.
(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)
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