To introduce advanced features at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Google has partnered with NBCUniversal and Team USA. This collaboration aims to improve the viewing experience through interactive technologies and artificial intelligence-powered tools.
Also read: Anthropic and Menlo Ventures launch $100 million AI fund to rival OpenAI
The partnership, announced just one week before the Olympics kick-off, will integrate Google’s Gemini AI, among other functionalities across broadcasts, online, and social media platforms. During daytime and primetime coverage, NBC Olympics announcers will use AI Overviews to give viewers deeper knowledge about different events and sports.
Google partners with Team USA & NBC to promote Gemini, AI Overviews at 2024 Olympics https://t.co/81woPbYPFt by @technacity
— 9to5Google (@9to5Google) July 18, 2024
AI transforms Olympics coverage with real-time insights
The use of AI Overviews by NBC in their coverage is a big step forward technologically in the way sports are presented. AI Overviews will help explain why swim lanes are important, various Olympic basketball rules and offer details on guide runners for Paralympic Track and Field events. People watching can now have a more in-depth understanding of the sport they’re watching by using AI-generated insights which enhances their overall experience.
Google’s technology will benefit the US Olympians and Paralympians as well. They can use Google Lens and Circle to Search as they navigate Paris. It is a feature that enables athletes to easily locate information about their environment, thereby enhancing their experience in the home city.
What makes this partnership even more exciting is that Leslie Jones is involved. The star of Saturday Night Live will be NBC’s “chief superfan commentator” and she’ll be using Gemini AI to interact with the games, learn new sports and offer a different perspective on the coverage. Her shows will air on NBC and Peacock, providing viewers with entertaining and informative content.
Also read: Microsoft designer launches mobile app for AI-powered editing
NBC will also use Google Maps’ Photorealistic 3D Tiles feature to present famous Olympic sites in Paris, including Roland Garros, Aquatics Centre, and Versailles. This feature offers high-resolution 3D imagery similar to Google Earth, thereby providing detailed visual representations of the venues to enhance the viewing experience.
YouTube TV subscribers can also expect to get more exclusive content about the Olympics. For instance, searching for “2024 Paris Olympics” will enable them to record everything and save games under specific sports. What this does is make it easy for people watching to keep track of their most preferred games without switching channels.
This association extends Google’s tradition of sponsoring large sporting events such as the NBA Finals. Google wants to create a more interactive and informative viewing experience for global spectators by incorporating cutting-edge technology into Olympic coverage.
