Intel on the Road to Paris: “We’re using AI to transform the Olympic experience for fans, organisers, athletes and viewers”
As the countdown to the Olympic Games Paris 2024 continues, the Worldwide Olympic Partners are preparing to play a fundamental role in making the Games a success. In our “Road to Paris” series, these Partners talk about some of the essential support they will be providing and reveal their excitement at helping to shape an unforgettable Olympic experience for fans and athletes alike. Here, we speak with Sarah Vickers, leader of Intel’s Olympic and Paralympic Games Office.
How does Intel approach its Olympic partnership?
When we think about our Olympic partnership, there are three major components. One is how the Olympic Games are a place for innovation, to create new solutions that we can then scale beyond the Games. The second is the marketing element, so the brand association and the value that comes from that, and how we connect that to our own brand. And then the third element is engagement – engagement with our employees and engagement with our customer base. When we put all these dimensions together, it's a very powerful partnership.
How much is Intel looking forward to Paris 2024?
The Olympic and Paralympic Games are the world’s biggest showcase for the best athletes to push the boundaries of possibility and do things we never thought possible. We are looking forward to accelerating our mission of bringing “AI Everywhere” using Intel hardware and software solutions at Paris 2024.
Our goal is to showcase the powerful potential of technology and AI to create immersive and interactive experiences at the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024 for millions of people around the world.
What innovations will Intel bring to Paris 2024?
At previous Games, Intel has accelerated the adoption of 5G, VR, drone and AI technology in partnership with the IOC for an enhanced Olympic experience. This year, AI will be at the forefront. As the Official AI Platform Partner for Paris 2024, Intel will introduce innovative AI experiences to help transform the Olympic experience for fans, organisers, athletes and viewers across the globe.
Can you give us some examples of these innovative experiences?
We have created a first-of-its-kind immersive AI experience for fans on site in Paris, which will take visitors on a journey of becoming an Olympic athlete. Trained on Intel® Gaudi® accelerators, running on Intel® Xeon® processors with built-in AI acceleration and optimised with Intel OpenVINO™, Intel's AI Platform Experience, in collaboration with Samsung, will use AI and computer vision to analyse athletic drills and match each participant’s profile to an Olympic sport.
Intel is also supporting Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) to enrich its coverage with AI. Can you tell us more about that?
OBS is introducing Automatic Highlights Generation for Paris 2024, trained on the Intel® Geti™ platform, which can create tailored highlights across multiple disciplines and distribute these to fans instantly, creating efficiencies in production and editing. This AI automation will enable broadcasters to bring more customised digital content to viewers faster than ever.
For the first time at the Olympic Games, Intel Xeon processors will also be used to showcase an end-to-end 8K livestreaming experience, providing a visible pathway for the future of low-latency, 8K resolution livestreaming over the internet. This is paving the way for viewers around the world to enjoy future Olympic action with the highest broadcast-grade quality.
What impact will these innovations have on future sports events?
The Olympic Games always provide a major opportunity to showcase new technologies, with Paris 2024 set to demonstrate the power of AI innovation on a global stage. The new advancements in AI at Paris 2024 are likely set trends for how AI is used in sport and other industries worldwide for years to come.