Hosting the Olympic Games has always required extraordinary planning, but modern technology has fundamentally changed what that responsibility entails. Today’s organizing committees oversee far more than venues and athletic schedules. They must also coordinate cybersecurity, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, broadcast technology, transportation systems, and digital experiences that connect billions of viewers around the world.
As chairman of the LA28 Organizing Committee, Casey Wasserman is helping oversee preparations for an Olympic Games that will arrive in one of the world’s leading technology hubs. While athletes will remain the centerpiece of the event, the systems operating behind the scenes may prove just as significant to its success.
The 2028 Games are expected to demonstrate how digital infrastructure has become an essential component of international sporting events.
From Stadium Operations to Smart Infrastructure
Unlike many previous Olympic hosts, Los Angeles is relying heavily on existing venues rather than constructing an entirely new Olympic complex. That strategy shifts much of the focus from large-scale construction projects toward integrating technology across facilities that already serve professional sports teams and entertainment events.
Modern venues increasingly rely on connected systems to manage security, ticket validation, crowd movement, energy consumption, communications, and emergency response. The challenge is not simply deploying new technology but ensuring that dozens of independent systems function together during one of the world’s largest live events.
As organizers prepare for LA28, interoperability has become just as important as infrastructure.
Artificial Intelligence Is Changing Event Management
Artificial intelligence is already reshaping the sports industry, and large international events are expected to benefit from its continued development.
AI tools can assist organizers in analyzing crowd movement, predicting transportation demand, identifying operational bottlenecks, and improving scheduling efficiency. Machine learning models may also help optimize staffing, monitor venue operations, and support customer service through multilingual digital assistants.
While organizers have not detailed every technology that will be deployed during LA28, industry experts broadly expect AI to play a larger role than at any previous Olympic Games.
That evolution reflects a wider trend across professional sports, where technology increasingly supports decision-making alongside human expertise.
Cybersecurity Takes Center Stage
Every technological advancement introduces new security considerations.
The Olympic Games represent one of the world’s most visible international events, making cybersecurity a critical priority for organizers. Digital ticketing platforms, broadcast systems, communications networks, financial transactions, and operational databases all require protection against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.
Preparing for those risks involves collaboration among technology providers, cybersecurity specialists, government agencies, and private organizations. Much of that work remains intentionally invisible to the public, yet it is essential to ensuring that competitions proceed without disruption.
For global sporting events, cybersecurity has become as fundamental as physical security.
A New Era of Fan Engagement
Technology has also transformed how audiences experience sports.
Fans no longer rely exclusively on television broadcasts. Mobile applications, social media, streaming platforms, real-time statistics, augmented reality features, and personalized content have become standard expectations for many viewers.
The Olympic movement has gradually embraced these digital habits, providing broader access across multiple devices while creating new ways for fans to interact with competitions.
For LA28, digital engagement is expected to complement the experience of attending events in person, allowing global audiences to follow athletes, schedules, results, and highlights in real time regardless of their location.
Building on Southern California’s Innovation Ecosystem
Los Angeles offers advantages beyond its sporting venues.
Southern California is home to a broad network of technology companies, entertainment studios, research universities, aerospace firms, and digital media businesses. The region has long served as a testing ground for innovations that combine storytelling, software, communications, and consumer technology.
That environment provides organizers with access to expertise across industries that increasingly overlap with modern sports.
From cloud infrastructure and data analytics to immersive media production, the technologies supporting international events continue to evolve alongside advances taking place throughout the private sector.
Casey Wasserman’s Role in a Technology-Driven Olympics
Leading an Olympic organizing committee today involves coordinating a complex network of public institutions, private companies, international sports federations, venue operators, broadcasters, and technology partners.
Rather than focusing solely on athletic competition, leadership increasingly centers on integrating systems capable of supporting millions of visitors, thousands of athletes, and a worldwide digital audience.
That complexity reflects how the Olympics have changed over the past two decades. Success is measured not only by memorable performances but also by the reliability of the technology that powers nearly every aspect of the Games.
Looking Beyond 2028
By the time the Olympic flame is lit in Los Angeles, the technologies supporting the Games will likely have advanced even further.
Artificial intelligence, cloud computing, connected infrastructure, cybersecurity, and real-time analytics are expected to become even more deeply integrated into the operation of major international events. Many of the innovations refined during LA28 may later influence world championships, professional leagues, concerts, and other large public gatherings.
For Wasserman and the LA28 organizing team, preparing for the Games is about more than coordinating athletic competition. It also involves managing one of the most technologically sophisticated live events ever attempted.
Whether remembered for record-breaking performances or operational innovation, the 2028 Olympic Games are poised to demonstrate how technology has become inseparable from the future of global sport.