The IOC Images Sport AI Programme is transforming how Olympic heritage is discovered, documented and shared. Launched in 2024, it combines AI with archival expertise to improve access to 130 years of Olympic photographs and audiovisual content. Its aim is twofold: to enhance search within The Olympic Media Library and accelerate metadata creation through automated tagging.

AI-powered image and video similarity search enables discovery of visually related content beyond text-based queries, while a conversational assistant allows natural-language exploration of IOC archives and verified sports information. In the IOC’s media asset management environment, the first AI-powered automated tagging release is in production for Winter Sports. Ahead of LA28, Summer Sports-specific tags are being developed with the ambition to build, by 2028, a unique and groundbreaking corpus covering 65 Olympic disciplines.

Combining cutting-edge AI with human expertise, the programme makes Olympic archives more accessible, discoverable and inspiring for audiences and future generations.

“Voices Unlocked” is an innovative project by RTVE that transforms the sound archive of Radio Nacional de España (RNE) into an accessible, discoverable, and user-oriented resource through Artificial Intelligence.

RNE preserves one of Spain’s most valuable audio heritage collections, documenting decades of cultural, political, and social history. However, like many large audiovisual archives, much of this content has traditionally been difficult to access, search, and reuse.

By combining automatic speech recognition, semantic analysis, and AI-driven classification, the project converts vast volumes of unstructured audio into fully searchable, time-coded, and meaning-based content. This enables users to explore the archive not just through metadata, but through themes, concepts, and narratives.

The initiative significantly increases the visibility and usability of the archive, allowing journalists, researchers, and editorial teams to quickly discover and reuse historical material. It also lays the foundation for future public-facing services that will open this sound heritage to wider audiences.

Beyond its technological innovation, the project redefines the role of the audiovisual archive—from a passive repository into a dynamic, living system that supports storytelling, transparency, and public service.

“Voices Unlocked” demonstrates how AI can unlock the full value and potential of audiovisual collections, placing the archive at the center of user engagement and cultural memory.