Located in Milan’s Piazza del Castello and set against the historic backdrop of the medieval Castello Sforzesco, the installation transforms one of the city’s most recognisable public spaces into a cutting-edge demonstration of how digital technologies can enable personalised virtual retail solutions.
The Wonder on Ice showcase was officially opened on 7 February during a ceremony attended by Kirsty Coventry, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and Joe Tsai, Chairman of Alibaba Group.
What is so special about the Games is athletes, fans, spectators coming together and celebrating in sport. One of our shared goals with Alibaba is ensuring that we continue to connect with people around the world. – IOC President
With the power of AI, we are moving from ‘Cloud Olympics’ toward ‘Intelligent Olympics’, as AI helps us work better, make smarter decisions, and connect more meaningfully. – Chairman of Alibaba Group
© IOC/Quinton Meyer
Building on innovations introduced at Paris 2024, Alibaba’s support of Milano Cortina 2026 includes cloud-powered broadcasting solutions to improve efficiency and reduce carbon footprint, AI-enhanced 360-degree replays to elevate the viewing experience, and AI-powered sustainability tools enabling smarter energy and carbon management across venues. All these are powered by Alibaba’s AI models from its Qwen series.
Originally written by: International Olympic Committee
Source: olympics.com
Published on: 8 February 2026
Link to original article: Alibaba’s ‘Wonder on Ice’ brings interactive AI showcase to Milano Cortina 2026
