Ahead of the IBC 2026 trade show, Olympic Broadcasting Services and sports data provider Stats Perform have introduced major AI-driven systems designed for live sports production and officiating. OBS presented new broadcast technologies earmarked for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, while Stats Perform announced the global rollout of its OptaAI Studio platform. Both offerings focus on enhancing live broadcasts by augmenting video and event feeds in real time. For rights holders and broadcasters, the announcements highlight an accelerating shift toward automated media infrastructure.
A core pillar of the OBS presentation is a real-time 360-degree replay system developed alongside Alibaba Cloud. The platform combines machine vision algorithms with cloud rendering to reconstruct camera angles in three-dimensional space that no physical broadcast camera captured. By synthesizing virtual viewpoints between actual recording locations, the system fills visual blind spots during high-speed sports action. Broadcast directors receive completely fluid replays rendered directly in the cloud.
The system is explicitly engineered to assist judges and video assistant referees at Milano Cortina 2026. In disciplines such as figure skating and big air snowboarding, officials will be able to freeze athletes mid-air during rapid, complex multi-axis rotations. The viewing perspective can then be rotated seamlessly around the competitor with millimeter precision to evaluate rotations and landings. This capability merges high-precision officiating tools directly into the live broadcast feed.
OBS also unveiled an artificial intelligence tool for commentary teams, built in partnership with Deloitte. Known as the Enhanced Commentator Information System, the software deploys natural language processing to search sports archives in seconds. During a live run or match, the system automatically detects relevant historical comparisons and delivers on-screen analytical prompts. Commentators can thus integrate deep statistical context into their live delivery without conducting manual database searches.
Simultaneously, Stats Perform announced the commercial release of OptaAI Studio for leagues, rights holders, and digital broadcasters. The platform consolidates four core modules named Opta Search, Opta Live, Opta Graphics, and Opta Pulse into an integrated environment. These components work synchronously to convert live match data into automated graphics and contextual story angles while games are underway. The suite aims to reduce production overhead across intense multi-game broadcast windows.
By ingesting live data feeds in parallel, OptaAI Studio automatically generates contextual video highlight packages immediately after decisive match moments occur. The software also renders tactical overlays and automated infographics calibrated for immediate distribution across digital channels. These assets are specifically tailored for over-the-top streaming platforms and second-screen companion apps, where fans expect instantaneous access to statistical context. Broadcasters can therefore populate supplemental channels without requiring additional manual production staff.
Together, the announcements illustrate how specialized computer vision and analytical models are establishing themselves in professional sports broadcasting. OBS is focusing on spatial reconstruction to bridge the gap between fair judging and visually striking live television, whereas Stats Perform targets scalable automated content generation for modern streaming audiences. Both deployments demonstrate that algorithms are evolving into foundational components of live stadium and broadcast workflows.