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.”
Better Views: The New Instant Replay System
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.
By integrating with the IOC’s media asset platform, Flex, the solution enables fully automatic tagging of Olympic multimedia assets, turning previously unused media assets into a living, searchable knowledge library.
Ilario Corna, Chief Technology and Information Officer, International Olympic Committee, said: “Milano Cortina 2026 marks a defining moment in the integration of AI into the Olympic Movement. Alibaba Cloud has been incredible in putting these leading capabilities to work in very practical, helpful ways—not only enhancing the everyday experience for our fans through first use of LLM technologies at the Olympics, but building intelligent systems such as Sports AI that will preserve historic Olympic moments for generations to come.”
Since Alibaba Group became a Worldwide TOP Partner of the IOC in 2017, Alibaba Cloud has played an increasingly central role in how the Olympic Games are delivered, experienced, and remembered—helping to place cloud computing and AI at the core of the world’s largest sporting event.
