Some doubted it, many dreamt about it, and now it’s official: Paris 2024 has marked a new era in Olympic history.
At Doors°°°, we experienced both the Paris and Marseille Olympics firsthand. The innovative infrastructures, exceptional security, and high-level performances were exhilarating, amplified by the widespread excitement. As a strategic innovation partner, we were particularly impressed by the seamless integration of technology. Paris 2024 has set a new benchmark for future international sporting events, revolutionizing the conception and execution of the Olympic Games. The technological and digital legacy of Paris 2024 is undeniable, establishing new standards for the industry.
Those who were able to visit Paris during the event were able to discover the fan zones: a place for sporting festivities that is not really known in France. They were an extension of the Olympic experience in the stadiums.
Since the Rio Olympics, fan zones have no longer been the sole method for fostering a global celebration. At Paris 2024, the fan experience received a substantial boost through digital advancements that preserved the immersive live atmosphere for spectators.
This transformation was primarily driven by the official mobile application, which introduced numerous engaging features:
- Interact with the official mascot of Paris 2024 in an augmented reality experience similar to Snapchat, allowing users to share their moments.
- Show support for national teams with augmented reality glasses that display various flags, thanks to interactive lenses and camera filters.
These innovative features enabled us to create interactive and immersive content to cheer for Olympic teams worldwide, aiming to extend the Olympic festivities to those who couldn't be physically present.
Using the mobile app, we were able to explore the streets of Paris right from our office in Marseille. This innovative application transforms your surroundings into an augmented reality version of Paris, accessible from anywhere in the world.
As we navigated through this virtual Paris, we proudly waved our team's flag, fully immersed in the Olympic atmosphere.
The app also featured an interactive map that provided real-time updates and live photos of events happening in Paris, allowing us to feel connected to the festivities.
This initiative not only amplified the celebration and joy of the event but also brought the Olympic spirit to life for sports enthusiasts worldwide, all thanks to the power of digital technology.
Walking down the Champs Elysée during the Olympic and Paralympic Games, one couldn't help but notice Alibaba’s Wonder Avenue. As an IOC partner since 2017, Alibaba has crafted a store that delivers a personalized shopping experience, powered by Qwen, Alibaba Cloud's advanced language model.
This innovative experience revealed the future of shopping through four dynamic stages:
1. Avatar Creation : Begin by crafting a personalized avatar using Alibaba's intuitive chatbot.
2. Makeup and Personalized Advice : Leverage AI-driven recommendations to select and virtually apply cosmetics, tailoring the perfect look for your avatar.
3. Virtual Dressing : Use voice commands to dress your avatar, then generate personalized posters showcasing your stylish creation.
4. Virtual Fashion Show : Finally, send your avatar down a virtual runway and capture immersive selfies in digital realms.
This next-gen shopping journey redefines personalization, overcoming the typical digital barriers associated with online retail.
Olympic broadcasting services have also integrated artificial intelligence to optimize their processes and enrich viewers' live experience in unprecedented ways. If you've been watching the events on TV, you have seen on-screen stops and very precise statistics on the movements in progress.
Here are the main innovations brought about by AI during live events:
At Doors Sport, we're convinced that most innovations in sport have to touch on fan engagement and enhance the experience. After all, fans are responsible for a large part of a sporting event's success.
And the IOC understands this. In particular, by making fan engagement the focus of its digital strategy to try to resolve the engagement issue between different editions. For the Olympic Games, the IOC and its partners have focused on gaming to increase engagement. A strategy that has already proved its worth in many sports championships.
Among these initiatives, we've singled out three in particular:
Beyond gaming, one of the most engaging and socially bonding activities during the Olympic Games has been the collection and exchange of pins among fans from different nationalities. Our research highlighted that pin trading is one of the most dynamic markets throughout various Olympic editions.
Recognizing this, the IOC has introduced exclusive digital pins for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, featuring the official mascots and brought to life through NFTs. These digital collectibles are available on the Magic Eden platform and are part of the My Olympic™ Rewards program. The use of blockchain technology in this context is a natural fit, given the market's dynamics and the scarcity of some digital items. However, the non-transferable nature of certain pins does prompt discussions about the true relevance of blockchain in this initiative.
What truly amazed us about the innovative strides taken at these games was the IOC's seamless incorporation of AI into the fabric of Olympic organization.
Through its Olympic Agenda for AI, the IOC has not only pinpointed critical areas for AI's impact but has also swiftly applied this technology to practical scenarios in Paris 2024, with a particular emphasis on security, which we'll delve into next. This forward-thinking approach showcases the Olympic Movement's adaptability and visionary leadership.
Among the myriad of innovations, what truly captivated us—along with many others—was the exceptional management of security and crowd flow. Remarkably, there were virtually no queues or incidents. Upon further investigation, we discovered that AI played a pivotal role in several aspects:
Enhanced Surveillance Cameras: Rather than increasing the number of cameras, the focus was on enhancing their effectiveness. The deployment of 'smart' cameras revolutionized surveillance by automatically identifying unusual activities that might elude human observation.
Digital Safeguards for Athletes and Officials: Additionally, the IOC introduced an AI-powered monitoring system that acts as a digital shield. This system detects and reports abusive messages in real-time, ensuring a secure online environment for athletes and officials.
Another compelling application of AI was in the realm of content creation. Leveraging its advanced AI engine, Intel seamlessly produced highlight reels from 14 different sports. These highlights were tailored to meet broadcasters' specific preferences, enhancing audience engagement across social media platforms.
To achieve this level of customization, Intel trained its AI models using archival footage from previous Olympic Games. This approach beautifully exemplifies how blending historical data with cutting-edge technology can yield innovative results.
Beyond AI, additional technological advancements have revolutionized the planning process.
Digital twins, for instance, were employed across various venues to simulate and fine-tune logistical elements such as electricity management, camera placement, accessibility, and overall operational efficiency. This innovation allowed stakeholders to oversee and optimize these aspects remotely, eliminating the need for on-site presence.
This marks a groundbreaking approach to organizing the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
At Doors Sport, our passion for sports fuels our commitment to innovation. We craft visionary strategies and groundbreaking projects to elevate the fan experience, making it more engaging, modern, inclusive, and unifying. Partnering with key players like Alpine F1, French Football Federation, French Tennis Federation, Rugby Club Toulonnais, National Rugby League, Paris Saint-Germain (and more), we execute impactful, game-changing initiatives.
Paris 2024 exemplifies technological innovation in event management, inspiring broader tech integration across:
- Fan Experience: Utilizing VR/AR and real-time mobile and social network access to boost engagement.
- Organizational Optimization: Enhancing logistics, security, and broadcasting with intelligent systems and data analytics.
- Sports Performance: Using high-tech equipment and precision measurement for optimal athlete performance and fairness.
- Sustainable Legacy: Implementing lasting innovations for host cities and society.
These advancements at the Olympic Games should inspire all industries to innovate and rethink their processes, staying competitive and contributing to a smarter, more sustainable future.
The challenge is now yours...