Innovative Technologies Shaping Your Viewing Experience for the 2026 Winter Olympics

At the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, 5G and 4K stood out as the premier technologies accessible to viewers. While AI played a role, it primarily focused on benefiting athletes. The 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Games promises an even greater array of technology for both competitors and spectators.

According to Yiannis Exarchos, managing director of Olympic Broadcasting Services and executive director of Olympic Channel Services, much of this technology is unprecedented at the Games. Both entities handle a significant portion of the television, radio, and digital content provided on Olympics.com. “In Milano Cortina, attendees will experience things like never before,” Exarchos shares.

Here’s all the essential information.

Drone Perspectives on Athlete Performances

Among the exciting technologies debuting at the Milano Cortina Olympics are first-person view (FPV) drones. These remote-controlled devices stream real-time footage from their cameras to provide “dynamic perspectives of the race tracks,” Exarchos explains.

Additionally, this year will mark the first-time offering of 360-degree real-time replays. In an exciting collaboration with Alibaba, the setup employs multi-camera systems and stroboscopic analysis to deliver multi-angle views, freeze frames, and slow-motion footage of athletes’ extraordinary feats.

A novel tracking system for curling stones will also be introduced. “Viewers will be able to see the path, speed, and rotation of each stone in real time,” Exarchos notes. Suspended rail cameras and low-ice views aim to enhance audience understanding, complemented by detailed stone trajectory visuals and live data.

New AI Tool: Olympic GPT

Need information about this year’s Games? Olympic GPT is available to assist. This bot specializes in generating content for the Olympics.com site, providing real-time results, details on sport regulations, and for the first time, responding to inquiries about ongoing competition outcomes.

“Article summaries driven by artificial intelligence on Olympics.com will offer fans quick, clear insights,” Exarchos states. “They will underline essential points to guide users on what to explore further, while enhancing accessibility and readability on mobile devices.”

Cloud-Based Video Production

For the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympic Games, a significant portion of video production will transition to the cloud. Virtual outside broadcasting (OB) vans will facilitate a more decentralized approach to delivering images from events to viewers. According to organizers, utilizing cloud technology can lead to a 50 percent reduction in energy use and allow for remote production of sports like curling and speed skating.

All operations will be overseen from a fully cloud-based master control room recently trialed during the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia this January. This setup achieved a remarkable 75 percent space reduction compared to the previous championship while also cutting energy consumption by 65 percent.

The Olympics’ Big Data Era

During this winter’s Games, Olympic Broadcasting Services is piloting an automated description platform designed to help teams manage the substantial volume of live video feeds. “AI breaks down broadcasts into searchable segments, proposes shot descriptions and keywords, and enables users to locate highlights quickly, streamlining storytelling,” Exarchos explains. AI will also analyze live traffic patterns on Olympics.com and pinpoint the moments that matter most to fans.

This article originally appeared in WIRED Italia. It has been translated from Italian.