Al Michaels’ AI voice statement: NBC to use clone of broadcaster’s voice for 2024 Olympic Games summaries

Sports fans have become accustomed to listening to Al Michaels at the biggest sporting events. Now, AI Michaels puts on his headset and tries to imitate Michaels as best as he can.

NBC reportedly plans to introduce an artificial intelligence-based version of the legendary broadcaster’s voice for the 2024 Paris Olympics and use that voice to provide summaries of various events during the Games.

Michaels left his full-time position at NBC in 2022 to join Amazon Prime Video and become a live commentator for the streaming service’s first “Thursday Night Football” broadcast. He has retained his emeritus position at the network and makes occasional appearances on NBC despite his new home at Amazon.

His years as a sports reporter have led to some iconic moments in sports history, from his “Do you believe in miracles?” commentary at the Miracle on Ice game to several other Olympic Games, the World Series and the Super Bowl.

Fans will now hear a version of Al Michaels they’ve never heard before: an AI duplicate. Here’s what you need to know about the new voice.

MORE: Why Alex Morgan left the USWNT

Explanation of Al Michaels’ AI voice

According to Vanity Fair, NBC did not make the decision without consulting Michaels. The network approached him about the clone of his voice and had him listen to the clone.

At first, Michaels was “very skeptical,” wondering if the voice would sound different or if it would “sound like a guy who’s just spouting cliches.” But then he heard the voice.

“Honestly, it was amazing. It was unbelievable,” he told Vanity Fair. “And it was a little scary.”

He described the vote as “not just close, it was off by almost two percent.” Michaels told NBC the network could use the AI ​​output, which Vanity Fair said will run as a feature on Peacock, to provide daily recaps of the Olympics.

According to NBC Sports, the show will compile clips of the day’s events and package them into 10-minute packages to highlight the most important moments. Previews will also be compiled. AI Michaels will provide commentary on the highlights. Everything will be reviewed by editors before release.

The voice was developed by having an AI listen to Michaels’ audio and try to mimic his pronunciation. While Michaels did not claim the program mimicked his exact words and phrases during calls, he said it “sounded like what I would say in certain situations.”

Michaels still has reservations about AI, even though the possibilities are exciting. He mentioned the fear many have that AI will one day replace screenwriters.

He also noted that even broadcasters may face challenges related to AI.

“I just sat there and thought, in the next life I’m going to need a new profession,” Michaels told Vanity Fair.

Around seven million variations of the program, called “Your Daily Olympic Recap on Peacock,” are expected to be streamed in the U.S., all personalized to what different fans want to see in their videos.

“Peacock continues to introduce unique customer-focused features that reinforce our unmatched leadership in live streaming,” said Kelly Campbell, president of Peacock and direct-to-consumer, NBCUniversal, in the press release. “With these recaps, as well as interactive elements like Peacock Live Actions and Discovery Multiview, we are bringing together the best of sport with the best technology to give fans a personalized Olympic experience like never before.”