The Paris 2024 Olympic Games, which officially open this Friday, July 26, will not only be remembered for the talent and perseverance of the athletes. They are also marked by the massive implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) in various aspects of the event.
From detailed athlete performance analysis to crowd monitoring, AI is changing the way the Olympic Games are developed and perceived.
We will explore how AI is transforming the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, its benefits and the ethical and legal concerns it raises.
Analysis of sports performance
AI has already begun to make a significant difference in sports performance analysis. At the Paris Olympic Games, Omega Timing technology, led by Alain Zobrist, has introduced several innovations that will allow spectators and analysts to experience the competitions in an unprecedented way.
Innovations under and above water
At the Olympic Aquatic Center, Omega has installed four advanced cameras that capture everything that happens in the water. These cameras, along with computer vision systems, can recognize and analyze specific movements in real time.
They can calculate each athlete’s stroke rate, distance covered and compare it with other competitors. This allows for a complete biomechanical analysis, highlighting crucial differences in acceleration and deceleration that can determine the outcome of a race.
One of the most iconic moments in Olympic diving history was when Greg Louganis hit his head on the board in 1988.
To avoid similar incidents, in Paris, AI-enabled cameras will measure the distance between the diver’s head and the board, alerting judges if the distance is unsafe. This eliminates subjectivity in the evaluation of diving safety.
Smart T-shirts and ultra-fast cameras
In athletics events, where precision is crucial, cameras have been implemented that capture up to 40,000 frames per second, improving resolution and accuracy in determining which athlete crossed the finish line first.
In track and field competitions, athletes’ jerseys are equipped with sensors that send constant data about position, stride rate and direction.
This data is transmitted to high-speed computers that calculate the positions of all athletes on the track, providing viewers with detailed real-time analysis of the races.
Artificial intelligence and mass surveillance in Paris 2024
In addition to improving sports performance, AI is also playing a crucial role in the security of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. However, this mass deployment of surveillance technologies has raised concerns about privacy and civil rights.
The French government, in collaboration with private companies, has deployed advanced AI tools and surveillance technologies to ensure security during the Games.
These tools include advanced video surveillance, the collection of geolocation data, communications and computer data, as well as the capture of large amounts of visual and audio data.
Changes in French legislation
To facilitate this extensive surveillance, France has had to change its laws. In 2023, Law No. 2023-380 was enacted, providing a legal framework for surveillance during the Olympic Games.
This law includes the controversial Article 7, which allows law enforcement and their technology contractors to experiment with smart video surveillance, and Article 10, which allows the use of AI software to review video feeds and cameras.
Despite security justifications, the mass implementation of surveillance has come under fire from civil rights organizations and privacy experts.
They argue that the collection and analysis of biometric data, such as body positions, movements and physiological characteristics, violates European Union data protection regulations, especially the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
“Anti-hate” filters for athletes’ social networks
In recent years, the rise of hateful comments and abuse on social media has been a growing concern, especially during high-profile sporting events. Athletes and officials are frequently targets of racist attacks, threats and religious hostility.
The magnitude of the problem was evident during the Euro Cup in Germany, where more than 1,000 hate comments against the German national team were reported, of which more than 800 were considered criminally relevant.
To address this threat, the IOC has introduced an AI-powered online monitoring system that will be used during the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
This system is designed to monitor thousands of accounts on major social media platforms in real time and in more than 35 languages, filtering hateful comments before they are published.
Up to 25 different filters will be used to identify and block abusive content, thus protecting the approximately 15,000 athletes and more than 2,000 officials who will participate in the Games.
The introduction of these anti-hate filters has been welcomed by athletes, many of whom have been victims of online abuse in the past.
High-profile athletes, such as Olympic long jump champion Malaika Mihambo, have expressed the importance of tackling racism and abuse in all their forms, and have called on society to show more civil courage in the fight against hate.
The future of AI in sporting events
The implementation of AI at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games marks a turning point in the way sporting events are organized and perceived.
It is easy to foresee that its use will expand, offering new opportunities to improve performance and security. However, it is essential to address ethical and legal concerns to ensure that the technology is used responsibly and fairly.
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