At the Paris Olympics, a new AI system is being tested to find future Olympic champions. This cool technology is made to check how good young athletes might be in different sports. The people who created this system hope to make a smaller version that can be used in remote areas around the world, so that talent can be found no matter where someone lives.
During the tests, kids like Tacto and Tomo from Yokohama, Japan, take part in activities like running, jumping, and strength exercises. The system gathers information from these activities and analyzes it to look at things like power, endurance, and agility. By comparing these results to data from top athletes, the system can suggest which sport each kid might be best at. Sarah Vickers, who leads Intelβs Olympic Program, says this technology helps regular people see how they stack up against elite athletes.
The AI system being used in Paris also has a portable version that can work on phones and tablets. This makes it easier to assess performance without needing complicated equipment. Recently, the International Olympic Committee used this technology in Senegal, where they tested over 1,000 kids in different villages. They found 48 kids with great athletic potential and gave them chances to improve their skills.
While it's exciting to find talent early, some experts, like Prof. John Brewer, warn that a simple assessment might miss important skills, especially for sports that need special techniques. He thinks the AI system is useful for initial checks, especially in places where advanced methods arenβt available. However, he believes this technology should be part of a bigger system to fully evaluate athletes. As the testing goes on at the Olympic Stadium, kids like Tacto are excited to be seen as potential sprinters, even if they like other sports right now.
Original news source: The AI tech aiming to identify future Olympians (BBC)
π§ Listen:
π Vocabulary:
Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– CHARADES
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Each group will take turns acting out key terms or concepts from the article without speaking, while the other groups guess what they are. Terms can include "AI system," "Olympics," "talent," "athlete," and "performance."
– OPINION POLL
Instructions: Have students walk around the classroom and ask their classmates their opinions on the use of AI in sports. They should take notes on the responses and be prepared to share the most interesting opinions with the class.
– HEADLINE CREATION
Instructions: Ask students to come up with catchy headlines for the article. They should focus on summarizing the main points in a creative way. After they've written their headlines, have them share with the class and discuss which ones they think best capture the essence of the article.
– MIND MAP
Instructions: In small groups, have students create a mind map that illustrates the main ideas from the article. They should include aspects such as the AI technology, its purpose, benefits, potential drawbacks, and examples from the article. Each group will then present their mind map to the class.
– FUTURE PREDICTIONS
Instructions: In pairs, have students discuss and write down their predictions for how AI technology like the one mentioned in the article will change the future of sports and athlete development over the next decade. After they have made their predictions, ask a few pairs to share their thoughts with the class.
π€ Comprehension Questions:
The main purpose of the AI system is to identify young athletes who might become future Olympic champions by assessing their potential in different sports.
The AI system gathers information by having the kids participate in activities like running, jumping, and strength exercises, and then analyzes their performance data.
Sarah Vickers is the leader of Intelβs Olympic Program, and she plays a role in promoting the AI technology as a way for regular people to see how their athletic performance compares to elite athletes.
Kids like Tacto and Tomo participate in activities such as running, jumping, and strength exercises during the tests.
Having a portable version that works on phones and tablets is important because it makes it easier to assess performance without needing complicated equipment, allowing more people to access the technology.
When the International Olympic Committee tested kids in Senegal, they discovered 48 kids with great athletic potential and provided them with opportunities to improve their skills.
Prof. John Brewer is concerned that a simple assessment might overlook important skills, especially in sports that require special techniques, and he believes the AI should be part of a more comprehensive evaluation system.
Kids like Tacto feel excited about being seen as potential sprinters, even if they currently enjoy other sports, as it gives them a sense of recognition and opportunity.
π§βοΈ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
At the Paris Olympics, a new AI system is being tested to find future Olympic . This cool technology is made to check how good young athletes might be in different sports. The who this system hope to make a smaller version that can be used in remote areas around the world, so that talent can be found no matter where someone . During the tests, kids like Tacto and Tomo from Yokohama, Japan, take part in activities like running, jumping, and exercises. The system gathers from these activities and analyzes it to look at things like , , and agility. By comparing these results to data from top athletes, the system can suggest which sport each kid might be best at. Sarah Vickers, who leads Intelβs Olympic Program, says this technology helps regular people see how they stack up against elite athletes. The AI system being used in Paris also has a portable version that can work on and . This makes it easier to assess performance without needing complicated equipment. Recently, the International Olympic Committee used this technology in , where they over 1,000 kids in different villages. They found 48 kids with great athletic potential and gave them chances to improve their skills. While it's exciting to find talent early, some experts, like Prof. John Brewer, warn that a simple assessment might miss important skills, especially for sports that need special techniques. He the AI system is useful for initial checks, especially in places where advanced methods arenβt available. However, he believes this technology should be part of a bigger system to fully evaluate athletes. As the goes on at the Olympic Stadium, kids like Tacto are excited to be seen as potential , even if they like sports right now.
π¬ Discussion Questions:
1. What is your opinion about using AI to find future sports champions?
2. How would you feel if you were tested by an AI system to see which sport you might excel in?
3. Do you think it's fair to judge young athletes based on a simple assessment? Why or why not?
4. What is a sport that you think requires special techniques, and why do you think those techniques are important?
5. How do you think technology can help improve sports training for young athletes?
6. Do you like the idea of using portable technology, like apps on phones, to assess athletic performance? Why or why not?
7. What is a sport that you enjoy, and do you think you would be good at it if tested by an AI system?
8. How would you feel if you found out you had great potential in a sport you never considered before?
9. Do you think that talent can be found in remote areas, or do you believe itβs mostly in big cities? Why?
10. What is your experience with sports training? Have you ever used technology to help you improve?
11. How do you think young athletes would react to being compared to elite athletes through an AI system?
12. Do you think finding talent early is important for young athletes? Why or why not?
13. What is a challenge you think young athletes face when trying to improve their skills?
14. How would you feel if a system told you to focus on a sport you didnβt enjoy?
15. Do you think the benefits of using AI in sports outweigh the potential risks? Why or why not?
Individual Activities
ππ Vocabulary Meanings:
Click a dot next to a word, then click the dot next to its meaning to draw a line connecting them.
Words
Meanings
π‘ Multiple Choice Questions:
π΅οΈ True or False Questions:
π Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
Check your writing now with the best free AI for English writing!












