After pursuing the Essendon senior coaching role and falling short, James Hird has joined Australian AI company Affinda as the Global Head of Affinda Sports, accelerating its work at the intersection of elite performance and artificial intelligence.
Hird was one of the leading candidates for the Bombers role once the club sacked Brad Scott in May, with the possibility of reuniting with president Andrew Welsh in the red and black at Tullamarine.
Essendon ultimately saw Mark McVeigh as a greater fit, but still opened the door for Hird to join the club in 2027.
Despite interest from AFL clubs, the Bombers champion opted against returning to his former club, joining the way of the future with AI.
"It's no secret I've been thinking about my next move. I wanted an opportunity that builds on my coaching experience and keeps me connected to elite performance," he said.
"The chance to work at the intersection of AI and sport is incredibly exciting.
“Affinda has built an impressive global AI business from Australia. I love sport, and when Tim and I first started talking about the opportunities to apply AI to elite performance, it just made sense. I could see how my experience in sport would complement Affinda's world-class technical expertise, and I'm excited about what we can achieve together."
Hird will help sporting organisations unlock the value of their data, develop smarter strategies and make faster, better-informed decisions. His remit will span governing bodies, national sporting organisations, clubs, associations and commercial partners.
He will help organisations identify where AI can deliver the greatest impact and translate those opportunities into practical solutions.
“James brings a rare combination of elite sporting experience and business leadership. He understands both the competitive and commercial realities of professional sport. I can't think of anyone better placed to help us accelerate our ambitions," Affinda's Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Tim Toner said.
“Elite sporting organisations have become highly sophisticated in how they collect and analyse performance data, but advances in AI are rapidly changing what's possible. We see an enormous global opportunity to help sporting organisations unlock the value of the data they already have to make smarter decisions, improve sporting performance and drive commercial growth."
AFL clubs have already begun using AI throughout multiple areas of the club.
Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell admitted it helps streamline his role, summarising data to free him up to actually coach his side.
Carlton queried its coaching candidates during the process it ran following Michael Voss' departure.
Hird is set to remain at Port Melbourne in the VFL.
