Feature

5 examples of AI in the Olympics

The 2024 Olympics in Paris will use AI for judging accuracy, personalized recaps, security, logistics and enhancing athlete performance, aiming for a fairer and safer event.

Alison Roller
By
Published: 19 Jul 2024

Athletes and spectators aren't the only ones eagerly preparing for the 2024 Summer Olympics. Organizers plan to showcase AI throughout this year's event in Paris which begins July 26, 2024.

Though the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Games employed AI to improve athlete performance, overcome language barriers for visitors and bolster security, the 2024 Summer Olympics are the first to adopt AI on a large scale, leaning into the technology to improve several aspects of the Games.

The International Olympic Committee's (IOC) master plan adopts AI in several areas of the Olympics through its partnership with, among others, Intel. Organizers said AI contributes to the event's unique character and relevancy, as well as making the Games fairer for its athletes, safely accessible to all its on-site visitors and more personalized for its viewers, particularly in the following five areas.

AI and judging

Since 2018, the Olympic Games have used AI to enhance the accuracy of judging and refereeing. The 2024 Paris Games continue and improve upon Pyeongchang's use of AI as a tool for Olympic judges.

With its enhanced data comprehension and analysis capabilities, AI improves judging accuracy by providing information officials can't detect. For example, in diving, AI tracks metrics such as AI rotations or jump height with cameras, providing more complete information than the naked eye of a judge.

The goal is to ensure fairness and accuracy by employing AI to deliver verifiable information to officials that might help lead to more impartial, transparent scoring and rulings.

AI-generated voice recaps

One of the biggest innovations of the 2024 Olympics is NBC's AI-powered daily recaps. The recaps use AI to recreate the voice of Al Michaels, a prominent announcer with more than 50 years of sportscasting experience. Michaels' voice delivers personalized 10-minute highlight packages called "Your Daily Olympic Recap," available through the streaming platform Peacock.

NBC's goal is efficient yet meaningful engagement with users. Each highlight package is based on subscriber preferences and pulled from 5,000 hours of live coverage. The AI was trained on previous broadcast audio of Michaels, and editors must double-check the results, including name pronunciation and fact verification.

Recent advancements in AI have improved text, video and voice re-creation, so expect more sports channels to introduce AI-generated recaps.

AI and video surveillance

The 2024 Summer Games' surveillance system includes cameras powered by AI to identify and flag possible security threats.

The AI technology analyzes video surveillance images in real time, detects potentially dangerous behavior or events and sends flagged issues to security personnel, who then identify and confirm those risks, any abnormalities and possible next steps.

A French law created in 2023 permits the use of AI security in large-scale events, including this year's Games. The law specifies incidents or behavior that AI flags as "abnormal," including the following:

  • Crowd surges.
  • Unusually heavy crowds.
  • Signs of a fire.
  • A person on the ground.
  • Abandoned objects, such as a package.
  • Presence or use of weapons.
  • Contravention of traffic direction rules.

During the Games, multiple law enforcement groups have access to the surveillance, including police, firefighters and security agents. Civil liberties advocates have denounced its use over privacy concerns. However, the law does not allow the technology's use for facial recognition, and France's Interior Ministry created an evaluation committee to monitor the program and ensure privacy protection.

AI behind the scenes

AI's less obvious uses help save time and money -- and make for a more engaging Olympics experience for everyone.

During the 2018 Olympic Games, AI-powered bots greeted athletes, staff and visitors at the airport to assist with language translation and directions. From there, autonomous vehicles drove guests between Seoul, Pyeongchang and the designated Olympic venues. Expect even more this year, as Toyota's Mobility for All program includes Accessible People Movers and wheelchair e-pullers to ensure all guests the freedom of movement and safety at the Games.

Viewers can expect clearer images and improved live streams, thanks to AI. Furthermore, live signals of the games, uploaded to the cloud, make it easier for broadcasters and fans to download and access footage.

AI also monitors social media sites, removing inappropriate comments directed at Olympic athletes and bolstering overall cybersecurity.

AI and athlete performance

AI plays a big and growing part in athletics, including personalized training, analyzing metrics and even scouting for talent.

AI provides tools that enable Olympic athletes to train more efficiently. For example, special technology sensors on bike pedals and wearable technology monitor metrics such as heart rate, used to optimize training programs and target areas for improvement. The collected training data further helps prevent injury by identifying an athlete's movements that distress specific areas of the body.

For some sports, AI tracks movement in real time to provide tips to improve form and technique and optimize performance. AI also looks at an opponent's performance to identify strategies that provide athletes a competitive edge.

Most recently, AI began scouting for talent in otherwise overlooked areas. In its partnership with Intel, the IOC examined athletic performance in children from Senegal to find promising talent. The AI algorithm can even recommend a sport for a child based on an analysis of that athlete's movements.

Alison Roller is a freelance writer with experience in tech, HR and marketing.

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