Tech Desk 
Jul 27, 2024
The Paris Olympics 2024 is an international multi-sport event taking place in France from July 26 to August 11. The opening ceremony was held on July 26.
Like any other sports event, the broadcasting rights of the Paris Olympics 2024 have been granted to different broadcasters worldwide. However, with evolving technology, artificial intelligence (AI) is set to be incorporated into the event’s broadcasting for the first time.
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC), an American broadcasting channel, is utilising AI for the U.S. broadcast of the Games, showcasing generative AI for viewers. Meanwhile, Warner Bros. Discovery's sports channel in Europe has stated that this approach is still too new to be incorporated into sports commentary.
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Scott Young, senior vice president at Warner Bros. Discovery, mentioned that they received demos from tech companies to translate speech into other languages, but the emotions were lacking, especially during heart-racing sports moments.
US viewers will experience AI while watching the Games on NBC due to a new partnership between NBC Universal, Google, and Team USA.
Using AI, Google Map images of the Olympic venues will help viewers get a feel of Paris. NBC's hosts will also showcase how Google AI search can answer questions related to the event.
Additionally, NBC will use AI to create personalised daily briefings of the Olympic Games, narrated by an AI re-creation of sports commentator Al Michaels' voice.
NBC has secured the largest Olympics broadcast rights deal in the world, valued at $7.65 billion, to air the Games through 2032.
However, the time is not far off when European fans will experience a similar approach as AI capabilities are advancing rapidly.
