The Stage of Innovation Led by AI: The 2024 Paris Olympics

The 2024 Paris Olympics will be remembered as the first Olympic Games where artificial intelligence (AI) technology has been fully integrated. Throughout the event, AI has been innovatively utilized across various domains, including event management, athlete support, broadcasting, and security. The introduction of these AI technologies is fundamentally transforming how the Olympics are organized and opening new horizons for sports competitions.

Event Management and Referee Support

One of the most notable AI technologies at the Paris Olympics is the Judging Support System (JSS). This system combines high-speed cameras and AI image analysis to accurately capture and analyze the minutiae of athletes' movements. It has proven especially useful in sports requiring complex motions or high speeds, such as gymnastics, diving, and track and field. JSS analyzes the number of rotations, the accuracy of movements, and landing conditions in real-time, providing referees with objective data. This helps overcome the limitations of relying on human referees' subjective judgments, leading to fairer and more accurate decisions. However, JSS is not a fully automated system; it serves as a supplementary tool for referees, who retain the final decision-making authority. JSS is primarily used as a reference in cases of dispute or ambiguity.

AI Referee JSS for Scoring Gymnastics Competitions

OMEGA, the official timekeeper of the Olympics, has also showcased innovative AI technologies. OMEGA combined AI-based motion sensing technology with precision measurement systems to track and record athletes' movements to the millisecond. This technology was actively used in swimming, track and field, and cycling, enhancing the accuracy of the competition results. OMEGA's AI system goes beyond mere timekeeping, collecting and analyzing detailed data such as athletes' acceleration, speed changes, and actions during turns. This data is provided in real-time to commentators and audiences, increasing understanding of the events and offering a richer viewing experience.

OMEGA's AI System for Measuring High Jump Accuracy

Athlete Training and Performance Enhancement

AI technology has significantly contributed to athlete training and performance enhancement. Intel's 3D Athlete Tracking (3DAT) technology allows for detailed analysis of athletes' movements by reconstructing them in three dimensions. This technology provides athletes and coaches with information on optimal postures and movements, contributing to performance improvement. The South Korean archery team improved their competition sense through training with an AI robot. This AI robot senses wind direction and environmental changes, helping simulate conditions similar to real competition environments. Additionally, AI analyzes biometric data such as heart rate, breathing patterns, and muscle tension to offer advice on maintaining optimal condition. In swimming, AI analyzes athletes' underwater movements to suggest the best stroke patterns and turn techniques. This enables athletes to identify and improve their weaknesses.

3D Athlete Tracking Technology (3DAT)

Athlete Support and Information Provision

The 'Athlete365' chatbot, jointly developed by Intel and Mistral AI, has been highly beneficial for athletes. This AI chatbot provides real-time information to athletes of various nationalities through multilingual support. It offers all the necessary information, such as competition schedules, rule explanations, and facility usage instructions, 24/7, allowing athletes to focus solely on their competitions.

Moreover, AI monitors athletes' social media accounts to automatically filter out malicious comments or threatening messages. This helps athletes avoid unnecessary psychological pressure and concentrate better on their events.

Broadcasting Innovations

AI technology has also brought innovation to Olympic broadcasting. NBC Universal offers a personalized highlight video service using AI. Depending on viewers' preferences, AI automatically edits key moments from favorite sports and athletes to provide customized highlights.

Google's AI technology provides real-time game-related information and statistics during NBC's Olympic broadcasts. Additionally, AI-generated summaries of the games are provided using the voices of famous sports commentators.

Alibaba Cloud in China uses AI cloud services to reconstruct athletes' movements from multiple angles into 3D, offering viewers a more immersive broadcast experience.

Security and Safety Management

AI technology has been actively integrated into the security systems of the Paris Olympics. AI-based surveillance cameras monitor the event site 24/7, detecting unusual behaviors or risks in real-time. This system analyzes the movement of large crowds to assess congestion and immediately alerts to any abnormal situations.

A facial recognition-based access control system has also been introduced, allowing only authorized individuals to enter specific areas and enhancing security. However, there are concerns about privacy infringement related to these technologies, and they are operated under strict guidelines.

Challenges and Future Prospects of AI Technology

The extensive adoption of AI technology is making the Olympics more accurate, fair, and engaging. However, several challenges are also emerging.

• First, there are concerns about data privacy. With large-scale collection and utilization of data from athletes and spectators, managing and protecting this data has become a significant issue. The IOC and French government are establishing strict data management guidelines to address this.

• Second, there is the possibility of AI judgment errors. Clear criteria are needed for how to adjust AI judgments when they conflict with human referees' decisions, especially in referee support systems.

• Third, there are concerns about fairness due to technological disparities. There is a risk that countries with advanced AI capabilities could have an advantage over those without.

Despite these challenges, the integration of AI technology into the Olympics is an inevitable trend. AI is expected to be used in more advanced forms in future sports events. Examples include AI systems predicting injury risks, more sophisticated performance analysis and strategy tools, and new forms of broadcasting combining virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR).

The 2024 Paris Olympics has become a stage for the convergence of AI technology and sports innovation. The event has demonstrated that AI technology enhances the fairness and accuracy of sports, contributes to athletes' performance improvement, and provides a richer experience for audiences. Looking ahead, more changes and innovations brought by AI in the sports world are anticipated, along with discussions on ethical and social considerations as technology continues to advance. The Paris Olympics serves as an important milestone in showing the harmonious development of sports and technology.