Data and AI Continue to Redefine the America’s Cup

Few understand this better than Anderson Reggio, former Head of Testing for the US syndicate NYYC American Magic in the 37th America’s Cup. Reggio played a crucial role in analyzing and optimizing the team’s performance. His job was to oversee the collection, interpretation, and application of vast amounts of data generated by the yacht’s hundreds of sensors.

Working closely with the analytics team, he helped streamline testing protocols, improve real-time feedback systems, and ensured that every training session and race provided actionable insights. From evaluating the effectiveness of onboard controls to refining the team’s simulation models, Reggio helped shape the American team’s strategic design decision making.

Reggio says the growth of the team from him and one other in the previous Cup to six people for AC38 was a testament to the team’s recognition of the increasing importance of data gathering and interpretation in the America’s Cup.

“That’s how important data has become, not just in accuracy of information, but also deploying appropriate resources to sift through it all. The amount of data that you have on an AC75 is enormous and no one person can turn it over in just one night and produce accurate information and reasonable reporting that allows you to conclude and determine what you want to do differently just from one day to the next. It requires a team. And so we expanded that team and worked really, really hard on making sure that our accuracy improved as well."