For the first post-COVID Olympics, there are some major changes now in place at the Paris 2024 Games. First of all, there are no physical tickets for visitors. All tickets are digital, but spectators can separately purchase an additional paper souvenir ticket for their event. While this is significantly a COVID legacy, it’s also a sign of the times, as more of the Olympic Games moves into the digital world.
If we dig deeper, we see how the DNA of this transformation is a story about data and its expansion – and how the ability of the Olympics to grow economically relies on it being harnessed and exploited. As AI steadily changes the strategic positioning of all aspects of life, the sports world has rapidly begun a similar journey. AI is now playing a key role at the Olympics across many areas, including performance analysis, doping checks, security threats, athlete comfort, sports reporting, and broadcasting.
The Olympic Games have been quick to respond to the rapidly developing technological environment. Gone are the days where the International Olympic Committee (IOC) talked about its impact in terms of television viewing figures. Now, it’s all about the live views across all channels, and a looming presence at Paris 2024 is the prominence of TikTok, which itself is driving a huge amount of Olympic athlete content. It is even an official partner of Team GB.
