Google and NBC are using AI to try and stick the landing at the Paris Olympics

(Image credit: Google)

Google is bringing some artificial intelligence features to your Olympics experience thanks to a deal with NBCUniversal and Team USA. The Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris will employ Google’s Gemini AI models to augment how people watch the events on TV and online.

The most public aspect of the deal will have NBC commentators demonstrating Google Search’s AI Overviews feature during their coverage. They’ll share quick hits and more detailed information about various sports, athletes, and Olympic rules. Google hopes to highlight how AI Overviews can answer questions in a single search (though presumably without the suggestions to eat the discus).

In particular, SNL alumna and NBC’s “chief superfan commentator,” Leslie Jones, will be using Google’s Gemini AI to look into the Games and learn about new sports in real-time. The AI Overviews will also be accessible on NBC’s social media channels. NBC wants AI to improve the accessibility and engagement for Olympics viewers who might otherwise find some aspects of the events incomprehensible.

Gemini Olympics

Google’s AI plans can be seen as the flip side of the coin from how Intel is embedding AI tools in the experience for the athletes with an Olympic chatbot to help them get around the Olympic Village and surroundings. For those attending in person, Intel and Samsung have teamed up to produce an AI-powered identification tool to spot and tag athletes on the field. Intel has its own broadcast initiative, too, with Intel AI producing highlights for every event.

Plus, there will be a new feature called ‘Your Daily Olympic Recap on Peacock,’ which will provide tailored highlight reels of three selected sports each day. But, the clips will be narrated by a generative AI version of broadcaster Al Michaels, who gave permission for his voice to be employed this way.

Google’s partnership will also link Gemini from within its other platforms to widen Olympics coverage. Olympians and Paralympians will be encouraged to use features like Google Lens, Circle to Search, Immersive View in Google Maps, and Gemini to explore Paris and share their experiences on NBC’s social media channels. Google clearly sees the Olympics and its deal with NBC as a great way to promote Gemini and possibly build global interest in its AI products.

“Our partnership with Team USA and NBCUniversal during the Olympic & Paralympic Games provides an incredible stage to showcase how Google’s helpful everyday products like Google Search and Google Maps, and newer innovations like Gemini, are using AI to help fans explore, learn and connect with the Games,” said Google Vice President of Marketing Marvin Chow.

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Eric Hal Schwartz is a freelance writer for TechRadar with more than 15 years of experience covering the intersection of the world and technology. For the last five years, he served as head writer for Voicebot.ai and was on the leading edge of reporting on generative AI and large language models. He's since become an expert on the products of generative AI models, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Anthropic’s Claude, Google Gemini, and every other synthetic media tool. His experience runs the gamut of media, including print, digital, broadcast, and live events. Now, he's continuing to tell the stories people want and need to hear about the rapidly evolving AI space and its impact on their lives. Eric is based in New York City.

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