Photo by BEN STANSALL/AFP, Getty Images
By April 2028, there will be no need to write this type of article. Updated with the International Olympic Committee's recently announced “AI Agenda” ahead of the Los Angeles Games, the handheld device can quickly summarize the announcement and pull out three interesting pieces of information related to personal and professional interests. Yes (you can know the user's information). (best studied in sets of 3), plus you can speculate a bit about where the technology will go next if you like.
But for now, you're stuck with me, the little old human. But stay there. please. The computer is being monitored.
Less than a year after forming a working group of 18 athletes and experts to focus on the potential impact of artificial intelligence in sport, the IOC has announced how the tool will be used. I have outlined what I intend to do.
It is useful to think of AI (or more specifically machine learning models) as competent puzzle solvers, given sufficient training. Those puzzles range from beating a world champion at chess to translating an essay sufficiently to producing an image that could be confused with a photo of someone standing on top of an Olympic podium.
Therefore, the human task is to decide which puzzles are worth passing on to the machine. The IOC has identified several such issues that it believes can be addressed, starting with talent discovery.
In collaboration with Intel, Senegal's Olympic representatives recorded 1,000 children in five villages performing basic track exercises. Christophe Schell, Intel's chief commercial officer, said the company's tools have identified 40 young athletes who stand out from their peers. We then used the model to suggest which areas each would be best suited for.
Taking the process a step further, AI guides can also measure a young person's progress and recommend training routines and diets to maximize growth, as well as design custom equipment that complements their strengths. Masu.
Of course, this kind of automated strategy could be a major challenge for kids, especially at a time when the professionalization of youth sports has already been blamed for a 70% dropout rate by the age of 13. There is a risk of it being stolen. Olympic glory should not be a teenager's main motivation. What will be left for the remaining 960 Senegalese children?
Recognizing these risks, IOC President Thomas Bach has repeatedly emphasized the organization's commitment to pursuing responsible technology development, although the competitive nature of national sports governing bodies makes such efforts considerably complicated. become.
Computer vision tools will be tracking Olympic performances as early as this summer, assisting both event judges and spectators. For example, instead of evaluating a diver's attempts by the size of the splash, viewers can now immediately see the exact angle at which the diver enters the water.
Overall, AI technology has the potential to have the biggest early impact on fan experience, and broadcasters continue to face numerous challenges.
“We believe the holy grail and future of AI is to solve the biggest challenges: What viewers want to know is, 'How can I easily find what I'm looking for?' That's true,” NBC Olympics producer Molly Solomon said in a speech. IOC event. I'm standing on a stage that looks like an AI interpretation of a recent Google product launch venue. “We'll be there soon.”
The event is being broadcast on six channels and the Peacock streaming service, so the appeal of being able to sit on your couch and holler to watch two of the most exciting live events where Americans have a chance to win medals. You can find out in just one day. .
Already, the Olympic Broadcasting Service (OBS) plans to use computerized generation tools to create an almost endless number of highlight clips based on sports, countries, and combinations thereof. OBS CEO Yanis Exarchos also expressed excitement about AI's explanatory power to guide beginners, for example, during high-stakes fencing, badminton, and kayaking competitions, regardless of the language they speak.
“We need to leverage technology to tell the stories of the world's best athletes in the most exciting way,” he said in an interview. “The Olympics aren't about showing off technology. It's about bringing people together.”
After all, it is impossible to predict what impact advanced machine learning tools will have. These can lead to an era of undetectable performance-enhancing supplements that threaten your entire record. Alternatively, a monitoring program could have the opposite effect, identifying anomalies quickly and leading to cleaner contests.
In 2021, the IOC has updated the Olympic motto.
“Together” has been added to “Faster, Higher, Stronger.” In the original Latin, the new slogan is “Citius, Altius, Fortius — Communicator.”
In the near future, the new addition “Sapientior” may also be suitable. Need a translation? We know who, or what, to ask.
