Many advanced technologies have been introduced for the Paris 2024 Olympics, not only enhancing the event and providing a unique experience but also paving the way for future Olympic Games.
During the last Olympic Games held in Paris in 1924, scientist Etienne Jules Marey introduced a new technology known as chronophotography, which recorded movements through multiple frames to analyze athletes’ motion. He likely could not have imagined that 100 years later, when the French capital hosted the Olympics again, modern technology would enable the capture of 40,000 frames per second, with more pixels resulting in better quality.
Olympic Paris 2024 implements many groundbreaking technologies.
Technology has advanced to the point where it not only accurately calculates athletes’ speeds but also predicts who will surge ahead or lag behind, comparing and indicating the differences between the winner and the others. In swimming, four underwater cameras connected to computer vision can recognize and analyze the movements, acceleration, and deceleration of swimmers. In athletics, sensors attached to bibs send 2,000 data points per second, including position, stride speed, and direction of movement. For team sports, such as beach volleyball, computers can analyze the players’ movements on the 16-meter court to understand their tactical knowledge.
Athletes also benefit from technology. At the Paris 2024 Olympics, Intel has created an AI chatbot to answer any questions from the 10,714 athletes, ranging from finding destinations, transportation options, to childcare and where to get condoms. Additionally, AI technology developed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) helps monitor and prevent harmful comments on social media, mitigating negative impacts on athletes’ mental health.
It is not new for major sports events to serve as platforms for showcasing cutting-edge technologies. However, the IOC is taking a more proactive approach. In April, a comprehensive strategy named The Olympic AI Agenda was launched to support athletes and provide the best experience for spectators. The presence of AI not only helps determine winners and losers but also provides followers with insights into how and why certain athletes succeed or fail.
“There are many pioneering technologies at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Currently, we are applying these technologies thoughtfully, in a trial and evaluation phase before comprehensively implementing AI to enhance the Olympics, ready to move towards the future.”
Ilario Corna, Chief Technology Officer of the IOC
But it doesn’t stop there; spectators also have the chance to become Olympic athletes in the future. This incredible and absurd possibility is indeed a reality. At an Intel booth in Stade de France, anyone can step in and discover which sport they are best suited for. Through measurement devices, AI analyzes strengths and weaknesses, revealing which sport they could excel in.
Don’t think of this as a pointless game. A trial version was conducted in Senegal with the participation of the IOC. From over 1,000 youths across the country, the Senegal Olympic Committee selected 48 potential athletes and included them in a national development program. They will form the backbone of the youth Olympic team participating in the 2026 Games.
Professor Amit Joshi, an AI expert at the International Management Development Institute and a member of the IOC’s AI task force, stated: “There could be dozens of Michael Phelps out there in the world, but no one knows about them because they’ve never had the opportunity to compete.” The AI Talent Scout Technology addresses this issue with “the ability to identify elite athletes from ordinary individuals.”
“The IOC is also using AI to make the Olympic Games more sustainable, through advanced energy management systems and data collection. AI opens up new methods for identifying talent, and we plan to roll out this project globally by 2025 to fulfill our commitment to bring AI in sports to everyone,” said IOC President Thomas Bach.
