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The Olympics Embrace Artificial Intelligence with Al Michaels’ Voice
Discover how the Olympics are integrating artificial intelligence technology with Al Michaels’ iconic voice to enhance the viewer experience and bring a new level of excitement to the games.
The Olympics have ancient beginnings, but this year they are also incorporating the latest technology. Viewers can now enjoy highlights from the Summer Olympics narrated by the legendary broadcaster Al Michaels with the help of artificial intelligence.
Bringing Olympic Highlights to Viewers
Executives at NBCUniversal and the streaming service Peacock announced that a customized daily highlight reel for the Olympics will be available to streaming subscribers. This innovative reel will feature the voice of 79-year-old American broadcaster, Al Michaels, who has been covering the Olympics for decades.
Al Michaels’ voice will be integrated into Peacock’s program using A.I. technology. The program has been trained on Mr. Michaels’ NBC clips to create coherent and realistic-sounding sentences, providing his signature expertise and elocution to the highlights.
Mr. Michaels approved the use of his voice for this unique project. In a statement, he expressed his initial skepticism, which turned into curiosity after seeing a demonstration of the technology. He was intrigued and readily agreed to participate.
Challenging the Norm with Innovative Narration
This development raises a significant question reminiscent of Mr. Michaels’ iconic Olympic call: Do NBCUniversal executives believe in miracles? Since 1996, NBC has been the exclusive broadcaster of the Olympics in the United States and has often faced public scrutiny for its coverage of the Games. This new approach to highlight narration marks a bold step in integrating technology and sports broadcasting.