Croatia Didn't Lose Because AI Made a Mistake, But Because Humans Decided How to Use It

Croatia's exit from the World Cup was not a failure of artificial intelligence but a consequence of human choices in how to utilize the technology, according to an analysis in Večernji List. While AI and VAR were introduced to correct clear errors and promote fairness, their application has evolved to focus on microscopic details, sometimes at the expense of the game's integrity.

The technology accurately measured data imperceptible to the human eye, but it was human judgment that decided the significance of these details. The article argues that prioritizing millimeters and milliseconds over the dynamics and fairness of the game fundamentally alters football's philosophy. This shift, where technology provides information but humans grant it authority and interpretation, is where the problem lies.

The piece criticizes the trend of offloading responsibility to technology, creating a "digital illusion of objectivity." Algorithms, lacking morality or conscience, simply execute rules. The author points out that when technology is used inconsistently across different matches, the system faces further issues. Football has always had its share of errors and controversies, but the current reliance on technology allows individuals to hide behind algorithms, a stark contrast to past human errors like Maradona's "Hand of God."