How Artificial Intelligence is Revolutionizing the Paris Olympics: Innovations in Sports Technology

A recent article in Nature has highlighted a groundbreaking development for the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics: a new and friendly artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot designed specifically for athletes. This innovative tool, developed by the French company Mistral AI, supports athletes both on and off the competition field, from enhancing training to aiding officiating and broadcasting.

The AI chatbot, named AthleteGPT, is accessible through the Athlete365 mobile app. It quickly navigates thousands of information pages to provide answers around the clock, addressing queries such as how to reach sports venues, whether the opening ceremony will be streamed online, if computer referees will be used in matches, and where to find free giveaways from sponsors.

AI’s role extends to boosting athlete performance in various ways, including the design of customized sports gear, tailored nutrition, and training programs, and even accelerating the discovery of new sports strategies. For instance, Intel's 3D athlete tracking technology utilizes AI to track 21 points on the human body to provide precise insights into physical movements—insights that coaches value when assessing top athletes.

In contact sports, making instant foul decisions can challenge referees, which is where AI proves beneficial. Through a network of cameras and embedded sensors in the ball, AI supports officiating by analyzing real-time data to assist with decision-making in sports like soccer. The extensive data collected during matches not only informs AI algorithms but also enhances the viewing experience for statistics-hungry audiences.

This year, AI technology will enable the display of more detailed performance metrics, including athletes' acceleration, maximum speed, and stride length. Thanks to Intel's computer vision AI platform, viewers can look forward to personalized highlight reels, with AI intelligently selecting the moments that excite audiences most—hinting at a new era in sports broadcasting.