Google’s Gemini AI will be all over the Paris Olympics broadcast

Google has bought itself the title of “official AI sponsor for Team USA,” and when the 2024 Olympics broadcast starts on July 26th, you will be reminded of that frequently. NBCUniversal’s partnership with Google will put many of the company’s AI-powered features front and center during the event.

The broadcast will include Google Maps’ 3D views of venues like the Versailles, Stade Roland Garros, and the Aquatics Centre, as well as tidbits about what events will occur at each location. The imagery pulls from the Immersive Views added to Maps over the last few years that represent certain landmarks and areas of interest with photorealistic models.

As part of the deal to promote Gemini and Google’s other AI tools, announcers and commentators will squeeze Google Search AI Overviews into broadcast segments by trying to answer Olympic and Paralympic questions. Between this and the AI-generated Al Michaels recaps, hopefully, it all works better than the time it told us to add glue to our pizza or said that we should expose all of the film in a camera to fix a jam.

Beyond that, comedian Leslie Jones will ask Gemini to help her learn a new sport, amongst other scripted activities, while five Olympic and Paralympic athletes will pop up in “social videos and late-night promos” using Gemini, Google Lens, Circle to Search, and Google Maps Immersive View to explore Paris.

Disclosure: Comcast, which owns NBCUniversal, is also an investor in Vox Media, The Verge’s parent company.