Alibaba Cloud, the digital technology and intelligence backbone of Alibaba Group, is partnering with Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to deploy advanced cloud and AI technologies for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

Building on deployments at Tokyo 2020, Beijing 2022, and Paris 2024, the collaboration marks another step in the IOC's transition toward cloud-based, AI-enabled broadcasting. These technologies are designed to enhance viewing experience for global audiences, improve operational efficiency for broadcasters, and create new ways to capture, manage, and preserve Olympic content at scale.

Dr. Feifei Li, Senior Vice President of Alibaba Cloud Intelligence Group, President of International Business, said: "Each Olympic Games presents unique challenges in scale, geography, and complexity. For Milano Cortina 2026, we are applying cloud and AI capabilities to make broadcasts more dynamic, workflows more efficient, and Olympic moments more accessible to audiences around the world."

For Milano Cortina 2026, Alibaba Cloud is introducing upgraded Real-Time 360º Replay systems that deliverimmersive replays with fluid camera movement and stroboscopic visual effects. Powered by AI algorithm that separate athletes from complex backgrounds such as snow and ice, the system enables three-dimensional reconstructions of key moments in as little as 15-20 seconds—fast enough for live broadcast use.

The system will be deployed across 17 sports and disciplines, including ice hockey, freestyle skiing, figure skating, and ski jumping. In addition to the BulletTime effects first introduced at Beijing 2022 to provide frame-freeze and slow-motion views, the platform now features a new Spacetime Slices capability that visualizes multiple phases of an athlete's movement in a single composite image, allowing viewers to better understand technique and performance.

Faster Processing and Enhanced Searchability: The New Media System
OBS is currently in the early development phase of the Automatic Media Description (AMD) System powered by Alibaba's Qwen advanced large language model. The system automatically identifies athletes and key moments, generates event descriptions, and tags video assets within seconds, significantly reducing manual processing time.

Using natural-language queries, such as "find the figure skating gold medal performance," the OBS teams can retrieve this information almost instantly. The system improves searchability, and enables OBS teams to more easily find, develop and distribute Olympic stories across platforms.