At Mozilla, we’ve thought for years about how to ensure AI is used as a force for good. From companies using Mozilla’s Common Voice to power deepfake detector apps to using AI to track climate change. On the other hand, we’ve also noted the ways AI can be troubling — like how it changes the creation of art or AI summaries that inadvertently spread misinformation.

More recently, AI became a common thread throughout the 2024 Olympic games. From the court to the commercials, often hiding in plain sight, AI was present throughout the games. Here are just five of the notable examples:

Securing Paris Using AI-Powered Surveillance

We’ve known for a while that the French government planned on using AI-powered surveillance during Olympics 2024. But not AI-powered facial recognition tech, officials are eager to point out. Still, security cameras all across Paris were trained to look for anomalies like people carrying or concealing a weapon, public fights or unattended bags, according to Popular Science. Some critics worry that even though facial recognition tech wasn’t used here, enough pedestrian biometric information is still being collected to raise alarm bells.

Google’s “Dear Sydney” Ad

Earlier this year, Apple released an iPad ad that many felt was tone deaf. The ad showcased visuals of pianos and paint sets being crushed and turned into technology (more specifically, an iPad). The commercial inadvertently called attention to the debate of AI versus tech, reminding us all of the worries surrounding technology replacing what we’ve always known to be innately human.

Google saw this ad and responded, “Hold my beer.”

During the Olympics 2024, Google unveiled its Dear Sydney ad, where a young girl uses AI to write a fan letter to her favorite Olympic medalist — hurdler Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. Many critiqued the ad, taking issue with using AI to outsource heartfelt moments, parenting or both. It’s unclear whether Sydney would have wanted to hear from the little girl or the AI bot.

The Official Olympic Committee Embraces AI

If you saunter over to the official Paris Olympics PR site, you’ll see the International Olympic Committee itself touting all the ways it is making use of artificial intelligence during this year’s games. Uses include using AI in how the games are broadcast to having AI help sniff out trolls on social media. Some notable facts from this page: the official “Olympic AI Agenda” launched in April of 2024, the post mentions AI more than 20 times and the group is using AI to monitor energy usage to make future games supposedly more efficient. Although, our interviews with Mozilla Technology Fund awardees like CodeCarbon note that the use of AI sometimes can have a net negative effect on energy efficiency and climate sustainability.

AI-Powered Exoskeletons

Yes, you read that right. Kevin Piette’s motorcycle accident at age 11 left him without use of his legs. Still, that didn’t stop Kevin from playing Olympic-level tennis. This year, Kevin carried the Olympic flame and it was one for the record books — he was the first para-athlete to use an exoskeleton to carry the Olympic torch. An AI-powered exoskeleton, no less. Wandercraft’s site doesn’t go into details about the AI it uses, but others claim the company uses AI to help the exoskeleton maintain balance.

It’s About Time — Using AI To Track Athletes’ Times & Scores

Olympics super fans know that, since 1932, every timing device used in the games has been Omega-branded. (Except for two years, that is.) According to WIRED, the Omega-owned Swiss Timing gets more hi-tech than just tracking athletes’ times. In 2018, for example, the group added motion sensors to athletes’ clothing. For 2024, Omega added AI to let athletes better compare their current rounds to past stints.

Swiss Timing’s new tech also lets judges see angles they couldn’t before, changing how some events are scored. As an example: Omega’s AI will be able to measure the gap between a pole vaulter and the bar they’re trying to clear in order to determine jump quality. Some might worry about adding AI into the scoring process and for keeping track of lap records, but ask Omega and they’d probably say it’s about time.

5 Ways AI Was Used During Olympics 2024

Written By: Xavier Harding

Edited By: Audrey Hingle, Lindsay Dearlove

Art By: Shannon Zepeda