- AI-Powered virtual retail brings personalised Olympic experiences to life
- Interactive installation demonstrates cloud and AI innovation ahead of Milano Cortina 2026
Alibaba Group has opened “Alibaba Wonder on Ice” (AWI), an interactive public installation in Milan’s Piazza del Castello Sforzesco, using artificial intelligence and cloud computing to showcase how virtual retail experiences could evolve during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
Set against the historic backdrop of Sforza Castle and the commercial artery of Via Dante, AWI transforms one of Milan’s most recognisable public spaces into a live demonstration of how digital technologies intersect with culture, commerce and consumer engagement. Powered by Alibaba’s advanced technology stack, the showcase illustrates how artificial intelligence enables immersive, interactive digital retail experiences that respond dynamically to individual preferences.
“Alibaba and the IOC share a simple belief: technology should enable the Olympic Games to be more exciting, accessible, sustainable and connected,” said Joe Tsai, chairman of Alibaba Group. “With the power of AI, we are moving from ‘Cloud Olympics’ towards ‘Intelligent Olympics’, as AI helps us work better, make smarter decisions and connect more meaningfully.”
“I’m delighted to be here at the Alibaba Group showcase, celebrating nine years of our partnership, which represents one of the most significant technological transformations in Olympic history. Building on innovations delivered at recent Games, Milano Cortina 2026 represents a major step forward in cloud-based, AI-enabled broadcasting and operations, setting a new benchmark for future editions,” said Kirsty Coventry, president of the International Olympic Committee.
“Together with Alibaba, we’re ensuring the Games remain efficient, sustainable and engaging for audiences, athletes and fans worldwide through sports media technology,” she added.
A Personalised Journey Guided by AI
At the core of the installation is an AI-guided journey that brings virtual retail into a physical environment. Upon entry, visitors are invited to share simple preferences — such as their favourite Milano Cortina 2026 sport — with an AI agent, which uses these inputs to curate a personalised journey throughout the space. Visitors may also choose to have their photo taken to generate a real-time digital avatar, further tailoring the experience.
The AI agent then acts as a virtual stylist, interacting with visitors and offering tailored recommendations for clothing, fragrance and make-up. As participants make selections, the experience evolves continuously, demonstrating how AI-enabled retail moves beyond static product catalogues towards adaptive, interactive experiences. Each journey culminates in a personalised AI-generated video in which the visitor’s avatar becomes the central character in a digital gala setting.
The experience is supported by Alibaba’s latest AI and cloud technologies, including its Qwen3 series of large language and vision models, the Wan 2.2 image-to-video generation model, Taobao Vision’s immersive shopping solution, and Alibaba Cloud’s global infrastructure.
Architecture Inspired by Ice and Light
Spanning 40 meters, the installation consists of two architectural elements:
- The Snow Globe, a spherical pavilion that serves as an interactive space during the day and transforms into a projection surface for AI-generated visuals in the evening
- The Crystalised Skirt Building, a sculptural structure inspired by the crystalline geometry of frost and snowflakes, which houses the immersive AI-powered virtual retail experience.
Designed with sustainability in mind, the installation uses recyclable materials and leaves no permanent footprint on the historic plaza.
AWI was open to the public from February 7–22, 2026, during the Olympic Winter Games. For those who missed it, they can still be wowed by AWI as it will be open from March 6–15 during the Paralympic Winter Games.
Showcasing the First AI-Generated Olympic Fan Art Collection
The opening of AWI also marked the unveiling of the results of the Alibaba Cloud AIGC Championship @ Milano Cortina 2026, the first Olympic fan engagement initiative of its kind developed in partnership with the International Olympic Committee, the Olympic Museum and the Milano Cortina 2026 Organising Committee.
Using Alibaba’s Wan video generation models, fans from around the world created original video artworks inspired by four winter sports: figure skating, short track speed skating, alpine skiing, and snowboarding.
A curated selection of the top 100 works is now displayed on the surface of the Snow Globe. This collection represents the first AI-generated artworks to be exhibited by the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland. Ten creators will be awarded tickets to attend the Olympic Winter Games in person. Click here to view the top 100 artworks and the top ten masterpieces.
By combining Olympic inspiration with accessible AI technology, Alibaba Wonder on Ice invites fans worldwide to go beyond spectating, allowing them to step into the Games, express their “vibe,” and join the Olympic Movement in an entirely new way.
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