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The Middle East is rapidly emerging as a global sports powerhouse, captivating viewers with events like the high-octane Formula 1 races in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi, as well as the iconic signing of Cristiano Ronaldo by Saudi Arabia's Al-Nassr FC.
This surge in regional prominence is further solidified by the upcoming inaugural Olympic Esports Games in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2025. As the region cements itself as an epicenter for sport and entertainment, we anticipate substantial growth in its sports events sector — attracting significant private and institutional investment and aligning perfectly with the broader evolution of the sports industry, which has been dramatically accelerated by technological advancements.
To fully appreciate the potential of sports technology in the future, let’s first examine the groundbreaking innovations that transformed our experience during the recently concluded Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Gone are the days when live attendance at stadiums was the only way to revel in the euphoria of watching our favorite athletes chase gold and glory. Nowhere was this more apparent than at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where trailblazing AI and cloud technologies gave audiences worldwide a front row seat to some of the most nail-biting and heart-pounding moments in sports history.
With the Olympic AI Agenda launched in April, the International Olympic Committee has established a robust framework for AI’s game-changing impact on sports and we are proud to support the IOC’s efforts in this regard with our cloud technologies to empower media professionals in their coverage of the games and elevate fan engagement on a global scale through innovative applications.
Empowering broadcasters with intelligent replay systems
For the first time in the history of the Olympic Games, the OBS (Olympic Broadcasting Services) Live Cloud, part of our OBS Cloud 3.0 offering, has become the main method of remote distribution to Media Rights-Holders (MRHs), taking over from satellite which was launched during the Olympics Games Tokyo 1964.
This shift is underscored by the record-breaking 11,000 hours of Olympic Games content available via Content+ on the cloud, showcasing the vast potential of cloud technology in transforming the viewer experience.
In addition to this, our collaboration with OBS has delivered our AI-powered Multi-Camera Replay Systems, using cutting-edge spatial reconstruction and 3D rendering to generate 360-degree slow-motion replays – but it gets better.
Throughout the event, these systems churned out thousands of replay clips across diverse sports like basketball, gymnastics, tennis, beach volleyball, and rugby sevens. This system not only enriched broadcasts but also provided invaluable analysis tools for media professionals.
Interestingly, this cutting-edge technology wasn't our first foray into cloud-based AI technology at the Olympics. The Multi-Camera Replay Systems were previously implemented during Beijing 2022, specifically for curling and speed skating. By enhancing these systems for Paris 2024, we ensured that broadcasters could offer richer, more detailed analyses of sporting events, gifting fans with an extraordinarily immersive spectacle they won’t soon forget.
Supercharging the fan experience
While broadcasters enjoyed their superpowered replays, we promised devoted fans that they would always remain at the heart of the action by unveiling a suite of innovative digital applications designed to make the Olympics a truly engaging experience.
The debut of the Smart Virtual Boxing project, a form of esports, at the Alibaba Wonder Avenue was a major highlight, featuring real-time commentary powered by our proprietary Large Language Model Qwen.
The virtual commentator provided real-time analysis of players' moves and performances, offering predictions for upcoming rounds. This application, proficient in both English and French, enriched the viewing experience by adding a layer of expert commentary that was both insightful and accessible.
Another standout innovation was Cloud Memento, an innovative tool that transformed participants' static images into dynamic motion videos. Spectators at iconic venues like the Eiffel Tower Stadium, Champs De Mars Arena, and Invalides could create personalized videos of themselves performing Olympic sports. By utilizing cloud-based smart technology to ensure smooth transitions and realistic animations, this novel tool allowed fans to enjoy the thrill of Olympic sports in a unique digital way.
Revolutionizing IOC archive management
As we have seen, Alibaba Cloud's impact on Paris 2024 was nothing short of sensational — yet our influence extends far beyond the Olympic stage.
Our partnership with the IOC on the Media Archiving AI Solution represents a significant leap forward in sports media archiving. Harnessing our visual AI, this solution generates automatic video highlights from the most memorable boxing and archery matches of Paris 2024, boosting the storytelling capabilities of media outlets and delivering a more enticing viewing experience worldwide.
The digital advancements showcased at Paris 2024 are just the beginning. Through our ongoing collaboration with the IOC and other stakeholders, our groundbreaking technologies have given global audiences a priceless glimpse of a future where cloud technologies redefine how we experience and interact with the world of sports.
As the curtain falls on one of the most riveting sports events in human history, the legacy of the Olympic Games will continue to inspire and fuel the evolution of cloud technologies in sports — creating a brighter, more dynamic future for athletes and fans alike.
- By Eric Wan, General Manager of Alibaba Cloud Middle East, Turkiye & Africa