Alibaba Group launched an interactive AI installation in Milan today, positioning the showcase as a preview of retail technology for next year's Winter Olympics. The "Alibaba Wonder on Ice" exhibit occupies Piazza del Castello Sforzesco near the historic Sforza Castle through February 22.
The 40-meter installation demonstrates how artificial intelligence could transform shopping experiences during the Milano Cortina 2026 Games. Visitors interact with an AI agent that functions as a personal stylist, recommending clothing, fragrance, and makeup based on individual preferences shared at entry.
"Technology should enable the Olympic Games to be more exciting, accessible, sustainable and connected,"
said Alibaba Chairman Joe Tsai. The company's partnership with the International Olympic Committee enters its ninth year with this installation.
Visitors begin by indicating their favorite winter sport from the Milano Cortina 2026 program. The AI system uses this input to customize a journey through the space, with optional digital avatar creation from visitor photos.
Each experience concludes with a personalized video featuring the visitor's avatar in a digital gala setting.
Technical support comes from Alibaba's Qwen3 large language models, Wan 2.2 image-to-video generation technology, and Taobao Vision's shopping platform. Alibaba Cloud provides the infrastructure backbone for the interactive features, which relies on the semiconductor industry that's projected to reach $1 trillion in sales this year.
Two architectural structures comprise the installation. The Snow Globe operates as a daytime interactive space that becomes a projection surface for AI-generated visuals after dark. The Crystalized Skirt Building, designed with frost and snowflake geometry, contains the main retail demonstration area.
Sustainability considerations guided the design, with recyclable materials selected to avoid permanent impact on the historic plaza location. The installation will reopen March 6-15 during the Paralympic Winter Games period.
"one of the most significant technological transformations in Olympic history."
IOC President Kirsty Coventry noted the nine-year collaboration represents this. She described Milano Cortina 2026 as advancing cloud-based, AI-enabled broadcasting and operations.
Concurrent with the installation opening, Alibaba revealed results from its AI-generated content championship for Olympic fans. Participants worldwide created video artworks using the company's Wan video models, drawing inspiration from figure skating, short track speed skating, alpine skiing, and snowboarding.
The top 100 submissions now display on the Snow Globe surface, marking the first AI-generated artworks shown by the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Ten creators will receive tickets to attend the Olympic Winter Games in person.
The installation illustrates how AI could move retail beyond static product displays toward adaptive experiences that respond to individual preferences in real time. Digital avatars created from visitor photos become central characters in customized video narratives.
Alibaba's showcase aims to demonstrate how fans could engage with the Olympics through accessible AI technology rather than passive viewing. The exhibit remains open through the Olympic Winter Games period ending February 22 before its Paralympic Games return in March.
