NBCUniversal is bringing AI-generated Al Michaels to the Olympics. The legendary sportscaster's voice, recreated by artificial intelligence, will narrate custom highlight reels for Peacock subscribers during the Paris 2024 Games.
Peacock's new feature, "Your Daily Olympic Recap," will deliver 10-minute personalized summaries starting July 27. Viewers can choose their favorite sports and highlight types, like behind-the-scenes content or viral moments. The AI will then compile relevant clips from NBCUniversal's 5,000 hours of coverage.
"We're giving fans a personalized Olympics experience in a way that's never been possible before," said Kelly Campbell, Peacock's president. The platform expects to create up to 7 million unique recap variants throughout the Games.
Michaels, known for his iconic "Do you believe in miracles?" call, initially had doubts about the project. “When I was approached about this, I was skeptical but obviously curious,” Michaels said. “Then I saw a demonstration detailing what they had in mind. I said, ‘I’m in.’”
The AI voice, trained on Michaels' past NBC appearances, aims to match his expertise and style. However, this tech-forward approach isn't without risks. Since AI-generated content can sometimes include errors or "hallucinations", NBCUniversal editors will review all recaps before they go live.
To ensure accuracy and quality, a team of NBCU editors will review all AI-generated content before it is made available to users. This human oversight aims to mitigate the risk of any potential AI errors or “hallucinations,” ensuring that the recaps are both accurate and engaging.
This initiative also comes at a crucial time for NBCUniversal, as Peacock seeks to boost its subscriber base amid fierce competition in the streaming market. The company is betting that the experiences like the personalized Olympic recaps, leveraging the nostalgia and credibility of Al Michaels’s voice will help to differentiate it from its rivals.
The daily recaps with Al Michael's voice clone will be available starting July 27th in supported browsers and on the iOS and iPadOS Peacock apps.