Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games witness fusion of sports and Chinese AI technology

Chinese technology companies are showcasing their cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) products to the world at the Paris Olympic Games, a move that has gained wide recognition, the Global Times learned from companies on Sunday.

The participation of Chinese companies highlighted their capability to shine at the world's top sports event. It also shows that China's AI technology is bringing a new level of innovation and efficiency to the world event, Chinese experts said.

"Alibaba plays an essential role when it comes to supporting technology during the Olympic Games, greatly increasing the efficiency and sustainability of Olympic Games operations," International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach said during an event in Paris on Saturday. He highlighted the partnership between the IOC and Alibaba as a significant step toward embracing the digital era in sports.

Chinese AI-driven technology is providing advanced solutions for various aspects of the Paris Olympics, including real-time live commentary, 360 degree livestreaming technology, visual searches and more, the Xinhua News Agency reported. AI applications developed by Chinese tech companies such as Alibaba, SenseTime, Baidu and Lenovo have benefited athletes, coaches, referees and spectators of the world sports competition.

As the Paris 2024 Olympics is ongoing, the world is witnessing a new era of sports broadcasting, one in which Chinese AI and cloud technology are playing a crucial role.

Alibaba told the Global Times on Sunday that more than two-thirds of the live broadcast signals will be facilitated by Alibaba's cloud broadcasting services, enabling transmission from Paris to more than 200 countries and regions globally, reaching billions of viewers worldwide.

Alibaba's large language model (LLM) Tongyi Qianwen is being used in assisting the IOC's official commentators during the Games, the company said.

Moreover, Alibaba's cloud computing unit is offering an AI-infused platform to support the broadcasting of the Paris 2024 Olympics, overtaking the satellite broadcasting system adopted six decades ago as the main method of distribution, the South China Morning Post reported. 

In addition to supporting the broadcast coverage, Chinese AI tools will assist athletes with analyzing their performances and will be deployed to "enhance the fairness and accuracy of judging and refereeing through the provision of precise metrics," according to the IOC.

Chinese AI company SenseTime told the Global Times that it is also working with the China men's national basketball team to offer AI-driven sports data analysis and advice on strategy during the competition. 

The Chinese national diving team utilizes Baidu's LLM Wenxin Yiyan to provide accurate information in a timely manner, and even score diving movements in real time for precise quantitative analysis and guidance.

According to the Olympic Broadcasting Services, it is collaborating with Alibaba to provide a record number of multi-camera replay systems with AI-powered, high-quality reconstruction in the cloud, to create three-dimensional models and mapping of additional viewpoints across 21 sports and disciplines. This will deliver more compelling replays from more camera angles.

The innovative use of AI technology is supporting the athletes and revolutionizing the way audiences experience the event, said experts. It's enhancing the viewing experience while setting new standards for future Olympic Games and the broader application of AI in sports and beyond.

AI is being integrated into every aspect of our lives, and it has made its way to the Paris 2024 Olympics, Wang Peng, an associate research fellow at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, said on Sunday.

Notably, the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris is the first Olympic Games to implement AI technology at a significant level. In a groundbreaking initiative, the IOC launched the Olympic AI Agenda in April, setting out the envisioned impact that AI can deliver for sports. The Paris Games will witness the first examples of implementation, said the IOC on its official website.

AI can help to identify athletes and talent in every corner of the world. AI can provide more athletes with access to personalized training methods, superior sports equipment, and more individualized programs to stay fit and healthy, Bach said.

China's AI technology is expected to bring a new level of innovation and efficiency to the Paris 2024 Olympics, showcasing the country's cutting-edge capabilities in the field. The Paris Olympics serves as a platform for displaying athletic achievements and for demonstrating the power of AI innovation on the global stage, Liu Gang, chief economist at the Chinese Institute of New Generation AI Development Strategies, told the Global Times on Sunday.