Stephen Hendry, the seven-time snooker world champion, will have his commentary translated in real time by artificial intelligence during the upcoming Shanghai Masters tournament. At 57 years old, Hendry is collaborating with a local Chinese broadcaster that is employing advanced AI technology to provide instant Mandarin translations of his English commentary for viewers.

Hendry’s commentary duties include coverage of Ronnie O’Sullivan’s opening round match as well as portions of the tournament final. He described the initiative as an experimental use of cutting-edge translation technology, expressing curiosity about how the process will unfold in a live sporting environment.

The Shanghai Masters, held next week, will serve as a testing ground for this pioneering approach to multilingual sports broadcasting, reflecting growing integration of AI tools in global media coverage. The broadcaster aims to enhance accessibility and engagement for Chinese-speaking audiences by delivering English-language insights seamlessly in their native language through AI-driven interpretation.