As the 2024 Summer Olympics in France draw near, athletes from around the globe are preparing not only for their respective sports but also for the looming threat of cybersecurity attacks.
Fox News Digital reports that the focus on cybersecurity has intensified in recent years as malevolent entities have adopted more sophisticated strategies. However, the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) could potentially bolster defenses against such threats.
Thomas Bach, the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), has emphasized the importance of responsibly integrating AI into sports. In April, the IOC unveiled its AI strategy, which encompasses talent identification, personalized training, and even the enhancement of judging fairness.
Bach stated, "At the centre of the Olympic AI Agenda are human beings. This means: the athletes. Because the athletes are the heart of the Olympic Movement." He further clarified that unlike other sectors, sports do not face the existential question of AI replacing humans. "In sport, the performances will always have to be delivered by the athletes. The 100 metres will always have to be run by an athlete a human being. Therefore, we can concentrate on the potential of AI to support the athletes."
Bach also outlined the potential benefits of AI in sports, stating, "AI can help to identify athletes and talent in every corner of the world. AI can provide more athletes with access to personalised training methods, superior sports equipment and more individualised programmes to stay fit and healthy." He added that AI could revolutionize judging and refereeing, thereby enhancing fairness in sports. It could also improve safeguarding in sports, make the organization of sporting events extremely efficient, transform sports broadcasting, and create a more individualized and immersive spectator experience.
In the fight against disinformation, Blackbird.AI's narrative intelligence platform, Constellation, plays a crucial role. According to the report, Constellation is designed to identify narratives derived from disinformation.
The Blackbird website explains that Constellation is used to "uncover emerging narratives, ensuring real-time insights that surpass social listening tools, providing continuous visibility into evolving online conversations." The platform can process a given narrative, evaluate its risk level, and ultimately provide context to dispel the disinformation.
Sarah Boutboul, an intelligence analyst at Blackbird.AI, elaborated on the platform's capabilities, stating, "We have a platform called Constellation, our intelligence platform, where we can discover, analyze, investigate online conversations on any platform and [help determine] the risk that it poses. We look at the visibility of the narrative."
Blackbird.AI defines a narrative attack as any claim with the potential to inflict significant harm by "shaping perceptions about a person, place, or thing in the information ecosystem." Such attacks could result in substantial financial losses and damage reputations, particularly if the narrative is fueled by misinformation. As the world's athletes prepare for the 2024 Summer Olympics, the battle against cyber threats and disinformation continues to be a critical part of their journey.
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