With a combination of cloud technologies powered by AI, their OBS Cloud 3.0 platform will serve as the backbone infrastructure supporting several critical functions that will bring the thrill of the Olympics to audiences everywhere.
OBS Live Cloud represents the pinnacle of this revolution. Traditionally, broadcasters relied on expensive and time-consuming international telecommunication circuits and satellite transmissions. OBS Live Cloud, introduced at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, changed this by providing broadcasters with a cost-effective, scalable, and flexible solution for live content distribution - marking a new chapter in broadcasting. By the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, it had become a standard service and had been adopted by 22 broadcasters.
At Paris 2024, for the first time in Olympic history, OBS Live Cloud will be the primary distribution method for Media Rights Holders (MRHs). 54 broadcasters, including two UHD broadcasters, have reserved two-thirds of remote services. This shift from satellite to cloud ensures lower latency, higher resilience, and unprecedented scalability, transforming how live sports events are broadcasted.
AI technology plays a crucial role in enabling broadcasters to further enhance the broadcasting and viewing experience. By leveraging AI, broadcasters can enhance critical aspects of content creation and distribution and revolutionize audience engagement.
With this in mind, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has demonstrated its commitment to the rollout of AI within sports through its Olympic AI Agenda, focused on guiding the IOC to seize opportunities and manage risks involved in AI deployment to support athletes and drive the development of the Olympic Games.
This commitment is evident in Paris 2024, where the latest AI-enhanced multi-camera replay service from Alibaba Cloud has been deployed across 14 venues for 21 sports, offering frame-freeze slow-motion replays of athletes' performances at Paris 2024.
Powered by machine learning and deep neural networks, the AI-driven systems reconstruct the competition scenes in sophisticated details, offering viewers a compelling engagement experience and making actions smoother and more realistic.
This year's new features in Content+, OBS's content delivery platform hosted on Alibaba Cloud, will enable MRHs to generate highlights from any location with significantly quicker turnaround times. The OBS Olympic Video Player, utilizing Alibaba Cloud's infrastructure, will support UHD live streaming while providing medium and small-sized organizations with a turnkey solution for delivering high-quality videos without the need for complex in-house development.
As the world gears up for Paris 2024, OBS Cloud 3.0 stands ready to deliver a broadcasting experience like never before, merging cutting-edge technology with the timeless spirit of the Olympic Games.