The International Olympic Committee announced plans on Friday to implement the use of artificial intelligence in the Paris Olympics, marking the first time in event history.
Members of the committee held a 90-minute interactive session about the application of AI in the upcoming Olympics, resulting in the launch of the “Olympic AI Agenda.”
This announcement comes less than 100 days before the Olympics are scheduled to officially start, with the opening ceremony kicking off on July 26.
IOC President Thomas Bach told the media about the implementation of AI and that the committee has chosen to move forward with this plan because the Olympics have always been about innovation.
“Today we are making another step to ensure the uniqueness of the Olympic Games and the relevance of sport, and to do this, we have to be leaders of change, and not the object of change. Today, with the ever-accelerating development of digital technology, and in particular AI, we are again at such a crossroads,” he explained.
Bach continued by stating that Olympic organizers understand that humans must be at the center of this AI agenda, adding that the committee was “determined to harness the vast potential of AI in a responsible way.”
“In this way, the IOC wants to set the course for the AI future of sport with responsible leadership by embracing change while preserving the Olympic values,” he said.
The IOC plans to use AI in a variety of ways during the Olympics, including deploying it in refereeing to guarantee accuracy and efficiency during specific events.
Bach further explained how AI could be used to help identify future athletes and improve training methods in the years between the games, which would improve the overall product put out every four years.
Outside of sports, AI could be used to help the IOC organize the games and broadcasts to create an individualized and immersive experience for fans.
The committee credited the work of the IOC AI Working Group, which was formed in 2023 and is “a high-level panel of experts from around the world, including AI pioneers, academics, athletes and representatives of technology companies,” for determining the best use of AI in the Olympics.
