Broadcasters Embrace AI Differently for Paris Olympics
The upcoming Paris Olympics will showcase various uses of AI technology by different broadcasters. This will reveal their own approaches and comfort levels with the technology.
NBCUniversal in the U.S.
NBCUniversal is diving deep into AI for its Olympic broadcasts. They plan to use generative AI to create personalized daily summaries of events. These event details are presented by an AI version of the popular sports commentator “Al Michaels”. This means viewers will get customized updates as if Al Michaels himself were speaking. Additionally they will use AI enhanced Google Map images to help viewers explore and get a feel for the Olympic venues in Paris. This high level of AI integration to broadcasting aims to make the viewing experience more engaging and informative for the viewer.
Warner Bros. Discovery in Europe
On the otherside the Warner Bros. Discovery which will stream the Olympics in Europe is more on the cautious side. They believe AI isn't quite ready to handle tasks like sports commentary as it requires capturing the excitement and emotion of live events. They have tested AI for translating speech into other languages but found it lacked the emotional depth that is needed for sports. Their view on AI is that while AI can translate words it cannot yet convey the feelings and energy that human commentators bring to the coverage.
Olympic Broadcasting Services
The Olympic Broadcasting Services is responsible for producing neutral coverage for global media. They are using AI to quickly edit large amounts of footage into short highlights. However they are also on the ocautious side about the potential risks of fake footage. They are aware of the benefits AI can bring but also the ethical issues and possible dangers.
Conclusion
The different approaches by NBCUniversal and Warner Bros. Discovery highlight the varied levels of readiness and comfort with AI technology in sports broadcasting. NBCUniversal is embracing AI to enhance viewer experience while Warner Bros. Discovery is taking a slower more cautious approach that focuses on maintaining the emotional integrity of sports commentary.
