Google brings AI to US broadcast of Paris Olympics

By Sheila Dang

(Reuters) - Alphabet’s  Google will infuse artificial intelligence into the U.S. broadcast of the Paris Olympics, allowing sports commentators to use AI to explain competitions, the tech company said on Thursday alongside NBCUniversal and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee.

Google will be named the official search AI partner of Team USA, marking the first time a tech company has partnered with the sports nonprofit, the three organizations said in a statement. 

The announcement comes as NBCUniversal, which broadcasts the Games in the U.S., is modernizing its coverage to attract audiences who do not watch live television and young viewers who have grown up accustomed to watching clips online. 

The Comcast-owned media company previously said it would launch personalized AI-generated daily recaps of the competition that will be narrated by AI versions of people such as sports commentator Al Michaels.

During daytime and primetime coverage of the Olympics, NBCUniversal’s anchors will use Google Search’s AI overviews to answer questions about some sports, such as the importance of pool-lane assignments in swimming competitions. 

Google’s AI overviews provide written responses to search queries without the need to click a website link. 

Comedian Leslie Jones, who will serve as a commentator in Paris, will use Google’s Gemini AI model to learn new sports and entertain viewers, the companies said. 

The Paris Olympics begin July 26. 

(Reporting by Sheila Dang in Austin; Editing by Rod Nickel)