IOC President Thomas Bach and Alibaba Group Executive Chairman Jack Ma (Photo by Marianna Massey/Getty Images)
Following the path of sports in general, the Olympic Games are becoming increasingly digital. Through a current long-term partnership that began last January with the Olympic Games, the Alibaba Group is rethinking the Olympics within the digital age. Alibaba held an event in PyeongChang to show off some of the possibilities, including the new Cloud ET Sports Brain.
Alibaba envisions an Olympics that works entirely on the cloud. It’s something that would benefit competitors, spectators and event planners all in separate ways. The Cloud ET Sports Brain, unveiled at last week’s event, is a suite of AI-powered solutions that can drive that transformation.
It merges data intelligence with machine learning to streamline classic Olympic Games functions. For example, in the future, cities hosting the Games can use the Brain’s geospatial analysis to select optimal event locations. Fans attending can also use cloud-based data to prepare for the experience in every way possible — getting from place to place, weather, etc.
“The opportunity for technology to positively influence, shape and reimagine the Olympic Games experience is tremendous and we haven’t even scratched the surface yet,” Chris Tung, CMO of Alibaba Group, said in a statement. “Over the next ten years, Alibaba Cloud services will serve as the foundation of our efforts to drive the digital transformation of the Games, creating a more efficient and enjoyable experience for all audiences.”
The showcase event in PyeongChang was attended by former Olympians like Yao Ming (basketball) and Michelle Kwan (figure skating) as well as Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee.
“Our long-term partnership with the Olympic Games is the ultimate showcase for Alibaba, both in terms of what we stand for as a company and how we can use our technology to reimagine the Olympic Games for the digital era,” Jack Ma, executive chairman of Alibaba Group, said in a statement. “Like the Olympic Games, Alibaba believes in creating a level playing field, giving everyone the chance to compete on the global stage.”
