The Technologies Changing How You’ll Watch the 2026 Winter Olympic Games

During the year 2024 At the Paris Summer Olympics, 5G and 4K were the main technologies available to many viewers. There was some AI, but it was mainly used for the benefit of the athletes. For the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Games, there will be more technology than ever, for both athletes and fans.

Much of this technology has never been used at the Games before, says Yiannis Exarchos, general manager of Olympic Broadcast Services and executive director of Olympic Channel Services. The two organizations are responsible for producing much of the television, radio and digital coverage as well as content on Olympics.com. “In Milano Cortina, people will have unprecedented experiences,” says Exarchos.

Here’s everything you need to know.

Drone views of athletes’ performances

One of the big technologies showcased at the Milan Cortina Olympics are first-person view, or FPV, drones. These radio-controlled planes transmit images from their onboard cameras in real time to “offer dynamic perspectives on the circuits,” explains Exarchos.

This year’s Games will also be the first to feature 360-degree, real-time replay. Offered through a collaboration with Alibaba, the system uses multi-camera replay systems and stoboscopic analysis to deliver multi-angle views, freeze frames and slow motion footage of the athlete’s incredible moves.

Another first is a new curling stone tracking system. “It will be possible to visualize the trajectory, speed and rotation of each stone in real time,” explains Exarchos. Overhead rail cameras and ice-level views will help viewers better understand the game, as will detailed stone trajectory graphics and real-time data.

The new AI tool for the Olympic Games: Olympic GPT

Do you have a question about this year’s Games? Olympic GPT is here to help you. The robot specializes in producing content for the Olympics.com site. It will offer real-time results and information on sports regulations and, for the first time, will have the possibility to interact with questions about the results of current competitions.

“The AI-powered article summaries on Olympics.com will give fans a quick and clear overview,” says Exarchos. “They highlight key points to help users decide what they want to explore further, while improving accessibility and reading from mobile devices.”

Virtual video production

For the 2026 Winter Olympics, much of the video production will move to the cloud. Virtual outside broadcast (OB) vans will help decentralize the process of transmitting event footage to fans’ screens. According to organizers, using virtual cloud infrastructure reduces energy consumption by around 50% and allows for the remote production of events like curling and speed skating.

Everything will be managed through a fully cloud-based main control room, recently tested during the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia in January. There, space savings were 75 percent compared to the previous championship, while energy consumption was reduced by 65 percent.

The moment of Big Data at the Olympic Games

For this winter’s Games, Olympic Broadcasting Services is also testing an automated description platform to help teams manage the huge volume of video broadcast live during their events. “Artificial intelligence breaks shows into searchable clips, suggests shot descriptions and keywords, and helps users quickly find highlights, making storytelling faster and easier,” says Exarchos. The AI ​​will then analyze real-time traffic spikes on Olympics.com and identify the most valuable moments for fans.

This story was originally published in WIRED Italy. It was translated from Italian.