As athletes from around the world lined up at the Olympics, Intel showcased how its advanced AI technology could transform the global fan viewing experience and pave the way for 8K broadcasting. BroadcastPro ME brings you an exclusive report.
As the official worldwide AI platform partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024, Intel delivered the world’s first 8K/60FPS/HDR ultra-high-definition (UHD) broadcast using H.266/ VVC, enhancing the way fans, organisers, athletes and viewers worldwide engaged with the events. Known as one of the ultimate stress tests for any new technology, Intel believed Paris 2024 was the perfect stage to demonstrate its ‘AI Everywhere’ capabilities.
“Our innovations not only enhanced the live broadcasting of the Games, but also set a new standard for future broadcasts worldwide,” says Ravi Velhal, Director of Global Content Technologies at Intel. “This effort is a testament to Intel’s global heritage and scale in deploying AI technology to enhance the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic experience for everyone involved.”
Enhancing the broadcasting experience
Inside the International Broadcast Centre, Intel demonstrated 8K broadcasting by using its AI technologies to significantly reduce bandwidth requirements. For broadcasters without 8K capabilities, Intel offered access to footage in 4K or full HD from an 8K source, providing an enhanced viewing experience.
“This was the first instance of 8K broadcasting using the H.266/ VVC standard, leveraging Intel AI-based video processing to achieve a significantly reduced bandwidth of 40-60Mbps while preserving broadcast quality,” Velhal points out.
AI automation enabled broadcasters to deliver more customised digital content to viewers, faster than ever before. For instance, the Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) Automatic Highlights Generation, trained on Intel Geti technology, started with 14 different sports and scaled up to more than 40. It allowed the packaging of tailored highlights across multiple disciplines, distributing them to fans instantly and creating efficiencies in production and editing.
This technical achievement was made possible by broadcast servers powered by the latest Intel Xeon scalable processors, equipped with Intel AI Deep Learning Boost technology. This technology encodes and compresses the signal produced by OBS at 8K/60FPS/HDR, reducing the bandwidth from 48Gbps to less than 80Mbps within 400 milliseconds. An 8K OTT signal was delivered to the latest Intel PCs and laptops, connected to 8K TVs, in select locations worldwide in just seconds. Smart AI algorithms helped solve what was considered one of the world’s biggest distribution problems in the media and broadcasting industry. Broadcasting rich, immersive 8K content to viewers around the globe has long been a significant challenge. However, through Intel’s AI solutions, all content was captured and processed, and several petabytes of data were transmitted globally at scale.
Intel-based AI technologies such as Deep Learning Boost and Advanced Matrix Extensions enabled the running of complex AI workloads without increasing the overall computing footprint. The company used both technologies in its Xeon CPUs to analyse the complexity of each scene frame by frame, training its algorithms to process fast-moving data without compromising quality or latency. As a result, the reduction in latency significantly improved the viewer experience. The overall latency from camera to TV is now just a few seconds using RTP and 14 seconds using HLS – a significant improvement previously thought unattainable.
What lies ahead?
Intel has driven the future of 8K sports broadcasting at unprecedented speeds while maintaining broadcast-grade quality. This technology enabled occupants of the Paris 2024 Media Village to work more efficiently.
“In the near future, viewers around the world will be able to enjoy Olympic and Paralympic action through an 8K ultra-high-resolution live streaming experience with the highest broadcast-grade quality,” says Velhal proudly. “Paris 2024 was the world’s biggest stage, a moment to showcase the best in human achievement. The integration of AI allows for dynamic, personalised content, transforming how audiences interact with live sports. These two events offer valuable insights and learnings that will influence various global industries for years to come, proving once again that the Olympics and Paralympics are the ultimate platform for showcasing the best in human and technological achievement.”
AI-driven innovations at the games
At the Stade de France, Intel created an AI-powered fan experience that allowed spectators to engage in athletic drills. This experience, trained on Intel Gaudi accelerators and running on Intel Xeon processors with built-in AI acceleration, optimised with Intel OpenVINO, helped participants discover which Olympic sport best suited their profile. The company’s AI technology facilitated the detection of new athletic talent by analysing physical and biometric characteristics, providing insights into which sports may suit an individual best and how they can optimise their training.
The company enhanced accessibility for visually impaired attendees through AI-driven wayfinding technology. By creating 3D models of Olympic venues using LiDAR and computer vision, it enabled indoor navigation via a smartphone application, guiding users through venues with voice instructions.
