As AI technology continues to grow, some companies are getting creative when using its capabilities.
Wednesday, NBC announced will use AI technology to replicate the voice of the inimitable sports announcer Al Michaels to launch, Your Daily Olympic Roundup on the Peacock.
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The 2024 Summer Olympics are scheduled to begin on July 27 in Paris, France and end on August 11. The full event will broadcast on NBC.
The new program allows viewers to curate playlists with recaps of the Summer Games they like best, delivered by an AI version of Michaels' voice.
Al Michaels watches from the sidelines before an NFL football game between the Tennessee Titans and the Pittsburgh Steelers (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
“When I was approached about this, I was skeptical, but, obviously, curious,” Michaels said in one company release. “Then I saw a demo detailing what they had in mind. I said, 'I'm in.'
CNN confirmed that Michaels will be compensated for his involvement.
NBC estimates that over seven million different versions of the recaps may exist, given the 5,000 hours of expected Olympic coverage during the event.
Michaels has cemented himself as a legend in sports broadcasting, working nine Olympics during his career for NBC and ABC Sports.
It is also known for one of the most iconic broadcasts in sports. As the US hockey team defeated the Soviet Union at the 1980 Olympics in Lake Placid, he shouted: “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!”
Michaels' willingness to participate in an AI collaboration is a pillar of other public figures who have fought against the technology's ability to mimic a person's voice and likeness.
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Just last month, Scarlett Johansson threatened with legal action against OpenAI for using a voice in a new chatbot that was “strangely similar” to her own – after she had already denied the company's request to use her voice.