Alibaba’s AI-powered cloud tech bringing sporting drama of Paris Olympics to billions

Alibaba is replacing traditional satellites with AI technology to beam the Paris Olympics to billions of viewers in more than 200 countries, a move the company’s co-founder hailed as a digital transformation of the “world’s largest and most complex sporting” event.

Joe Tsai, the Alibaba Group Holding co-founder and chairman, said the historic move would change the way the Games were seen around the world.

Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post.

“For the first time in Olympic history, cloud infrastructure will overtake satellites as the primary means of broadcast and distribution, of broadcasting the games all over the world,” Tsai said.

“Since we began our partnership back in 2018 at the Winter Olympics, we’re proud to enable the digital transformation of the world’s largest and most complex sporting event.”