By Sheila Dang

(Reuters) – The Paris Olympics will be a showcase of generative AI for American viewers but European audiences won’t see a similar approach, a contrast that reflects how global media companies are deliberating over the use of the technology.

Comcast (NASDAQ:)’s NBCUniversal is diving into AI for its U.S. broadcast of the Games, including re-creating the voice of a legendary sportscaster, while Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ:)’s sports division in Europe said the tech is still too nascent for roles such as sports commentating.

Warner Bros. Discovery, which will stream the Games on its Max and discovery+ streaming platforms across Europe, received demos from tech companies to translate speech into other languages but the demos have lacked the emotion that comes with heart-racing sports moments, said Scott Young, senior vice president at Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe.

“In every part of their (demos), it feels like yes, you’ve translated the words correctly, but you haven’t translated or narrated the feeling,” he said.

For instance, when Italian sprinter Marcell Jacobs stunned the world by winning gold in the men’s 100 metres in Tokyo, Italian commentators screamed their reactions, showing the genuine moment of “experts sitting side-by-side, really living out that story,” Young said. “It is very hard to automatically generate that.”

Meanwhile, U.S. audiences will experience AI when they watch the Games on NBC or streaming service Peacock due to a new partnership between NBCUniversal, Google (NASDAQ:) and Team USA.

AI-enhanced Google Map images of the Olympic venues will help viewers get a feel of Paris and NBC’s hosts will demonstrate how Google AI search can answer questions about the competitions.

NBCUniversal will also use generative AI to create personalised daily briefings of the Olympic events, which will be narrated by an AI re-creation of sports commentator Al Michaels’ voice.

Almost seven million different variations of the daily recaps could be created over the course of the Paris Olympics, NBCUniversal said.

The media company has the largest Olympics broadcast rights deal in the world and paid $7.65 billion to air the Games through 2032.

The Olympic Broadcasting Services, which produces neutral coverage that can be used by media companies around the world, is also embracing AI to assist with quickly cutting vast amounts of footage into brief highlights, but previously told Reuters it remained wary of the risks of deepfakes and “tampering with reality.”

Given how quickly AI capabilities are advancing, it may not be long until European sports fans see more of the technology.

“We’re probably just one Summer Games away from where the real impact will be for us,” Young said.

The next Summer Games are the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

On Friday, TD Cowen increased its stock price target for Ultra Clean (NASDAQ: UCTT) shares to $60 from the previous $55 while maintaining a Buy rating on the stock. The firm’s decision came after Ultra Clean reported a stronger-than-expected performance for the June 2024 quarter, which was primarily driven by robust spending on semiconductor processing equipment (SPE) in China, increased demand for high bandwidth memory (HBM), and advanced packaging equipment.

The company’s results for the past quarter outperformed expectations, bolstered by the aforementioned factors. In particular, domestic China SPE spending played a significant role, along with the demand for deposition and etching processes required for HBM manufacturing. Moreover, equipment sales for advanced packaging contributed to the company’s successful quarter.

Looking ahead, Ultra Clean’s guidance for the September 2024 quarter suggests a continuation of these trends. The company anticipates maintaining the momentum with similar driving forces contributing to its performance. Furthermore, growth is expected to extend through the fourth quarter of 2024 and into the calendar year 2025.

The analyst from TD Cowen expressed confidence in the company’s future, stating, “UCTT reported a June ’24 quarter beat attributed to strong domestic China SPE spending, high bandwidth memory (HBM) driving dep/etch demand, and equipment for adv. pkg. The Sept ’24 quarter guide sees much of the same before expected growth through C4Q24/CY25. Reiterate Buy; Price Target goes to $60.”

Ultra Clean’s revised price target and sustained Buy rating reflect the firm’s positive outlook on the company’s performance and growth prospects in the upcoming periods.

In other recent news, Ultra Clean Technology (UCT) reported robust financial performance for Q2 2024, with both revenue and earnings surpassing expectations. UCT’s Q2 revenue reached $516.1 million, a significant increase attributed to strong demand in the domestic China market and AI application suppliers. The company also received the Outstanding Partner Award from Piotech China, which further validates its industry standing.

In terms of future expectations, UCT anticipates Q3 revenue to be between $490 million and $540 million, with EPS ranging from $0.22 to $0.42. CEO Jim Scholhamer predicts sustained high business levels in China throughout the year, and marketing expert Cheryl Knepfler expects solid performance in the litho market moving forward.

These recent developments highlight UCT’s strategic initiatives and its readiness to capitalize on favorable industry trends in the high-tech manufacturing and services landscape.

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