NBC Television in the United States recently announced that it will introduce an innovative technology during the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics—utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) for voice commentary and reporting of events. This move signifies a deep integration of sports event coverage with AI technology, promising to deliver a new Olympic viewing experience for audiences.
It is reported that NBC plans to use AI-generated voices on its streaming platform, primarily for daily event recaps and commentary. Notably, this AI voice technology will mimic the voice of NBC's renowned sports broadcaster Al Michaels, offering audiences a familiar yet unique listening experience.
Image source note: The image is AI-generated, provided by the image licensing service Midjourney
To ensure the quality and accuracy of the content, NBC's editorial team will pre-review all AI-generated content. This approach aims to guarantee the professionalism and reliability of AI broadcasts, reflecting NBC's cautious stance on the application of new technologies.
NBC's innovative plan is quite ambitious. It is reported that during the Olympics, nearly 7 million personalized Olympic highlight videos are expected to be produced, all of which will be narrated by the AI version of Al Michaels. This large-scale personalized content production highlights the significant potential of AI technology in enhancing media production efficiency.
However, the application of this technology has also sparked widespread discussions in the industry. Some experts believe that the introduction of AI voice technology could have profound implications for the traditional sports commentary industry. It not only may change audience listening habits but also could present new challenges and opportunities for the career development of sports commentators.