Alibaba Cloud and Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) have recently announced the launch of OBS Cloud 3.0 for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. This advanced cloud-based platform, powered by AI, is a significant leap forward in Olympic content delivery and production.
Alibaba Cloud started its journey as an Olympic Worldwide Partner in January 2017 and, in collaboration with OBS, launched OBS Cloud in 2018. The cloud company provided support for Tokyo 2020, the first Olympic Games to be broadcast via the cloud and has since continued to work with OBS to uphold the highest standards of Olympic broadcasting with its established cloud technologies.
OBS Cloud 3.0: A New Era in Olympic Broadcasting
The cornerstone of this technological advancement is the OBS Live Cloud, which serves as the main method for remote distribution of live signals to Media Rights-Holders (MRHs) for the first time in Olympic history. This shift from satellite transmission, which has been the standard since the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, marks a pivotal moment in sports broadcasting.
The system manages 379 video feeds (11 in Ultra High Definition and 368 in High Definition) and 100 audio feeds, catering to 54 broadcasters, with two-thirds having booked remote services utilizing this cloud-based solution.
Enhanced Content Delivery and Production
The Content+ portal, fully hosted on Alibaba Cloud, facilitates the delivery of over 11,000 hours of Olympic content – a 15% increase from the Tokyo 2020 Games. This cloud-based platform also offers functionalities allowing MRHs to create their own highlights remotely and access content in various resolutions, including UHD for the first time.
AI-Powered Replay Systems
OBS Cloud 3.0 features AI-enhanced Multi-Camera Replay Systems provided by Alibaba Cloud. Designed to deliver an even more immersive experience for viewers, these systems are deployed on 14 venues, covering 21 sports and disciplines. The technology allows for rapid 3D rendering as well as spatial reconstruction of key moments, offering viewers frame-freeze slow-motion replays within seconds.
Olympic Video Player (OVP) Advancements
The OBS Olympic Video Player service will leverage Alibaba Cloud’s infrastructure to support UHD live streaming for the first time, offering a turnkey solution for high-quality video delivery.
Energy Expert
Alibaba Cloud’s Energy Expert solution was also deployed at the Olympic Games Paris 2024. Used across all 35 competition venues, it measures and analyzes electricity consumption, consolidating energy-related data into a user-friendly dashboard. This allows for more accurate analysis and forecasting of power demand, helping to minimize wastage and optimize energy efficiency. The system will also incorporate data from previous Olympic Games and use AI-driven models to offer venue-specific recommendations.
In addition to its application at competition venues, Energy Expert is also used to optimize energy consumption at Alibaba’s temporary exhibition venues during Paris 2024. The solution was first trialed in the sports world at the Olympic Esports Week in Singapore in 2023, where it assessed various metrics related to carbon emissions from temporary constructions. Beyond sports, Energy Expert is currently assisting over 3,000 customers worldwide in measuring, analyzing, and managing their business activities’ carbon emissions, providing actionable insights to support their sustainability efforts.
Industry Perspectives
“With approximately half of the world’s population watching the Games, technologies like Alibaba Cloud help us tell the stories of the best athletes in the world, but also bring the world together in ways which are more exciting and inspirational. Broadcasting the Games is fundamental in trying to do that, and having partners like Alibaba that help us bring this dream to life are very valuable for us!”
– Yiannis Exarchos, OBS Chief Executive Officer
“We are very excited to see the evolution of Olympic broadcasting from Tokyo 2020 to Paris 2024, enabled by Alibaba Cloud’s extensive global infrastructure and proven AI technologies. The partnership between Alibaba Cloud and OBS amplifies our commitment to help transform the viewer experience at the Olympic Games, turning technology innovations into practical applications for tangible results. We are honored to support Paris 2024 as the most digitally compelling Olympics ever.”
– Selina Yuan, President of International Business at Alibaba Cloud Intelligence
Looking Ahead
As Alibaba Cloud and OBS continue to push the boundaries of sports broadcasting, OBS Cloud 3.0 stands as a testament to the power of cloud computing and AI in enhancing the Olympic experience. With its promise of improved operational efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and enhanced viewer engagement, this platform is set to make Paris 2024 the most digitally advanced Olympics to date.
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Emman has been writing technical and feature articles since 2010. Prior to this, he became one of the instructors at Asia Pacific College in 2008, and eventually landed a job as Business Analyst and Technical Writer at Integrated Open Source Solutions for almost 3 years.
