An ice dance duo skated to AI music at the Olympics
Source: TechCrunch
Olympic debut and AI music
Czech ice dancers Kateřina Mrázková and Daniel Mrázek made their Olympic debut on Monday, a feat that reflects a lifetime of dedication and practice. Their rhythm dance program featured AI‑generated music, which does not violate any official rules but has sparked discussion about the role of artificial intelligence in sport.
Rhythm dance theme and competitors
The Olympic ice‑dance competition consists of two segments: the rhythm dance, which must follow a specific theme, and the free dance. This season’s theme is “The Music, Dance Styles, and Feeling of the 1990s.”
- British duo Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson paid tribute to the Spice Girls.
- U.S. favorites Madison Chock and Evan Bates performed to a Lenny Kravitz medley.
Music choice controversy
Mrázková and Mrázek’s routine combined a half‑AC/DC, half‑AI track. According to the International Skating Union, the duo’s music for the rhythm dance is listed as “One Two by AI (of 90s style Bon Jovi)” and “Thunderstruck by AC/DC.”
- ISU entry: https://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00110767.htm
- Official Olympics results confirming the AI‑generated song: https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/results/fsk/id/x/icedance----------/qual/000100—/result
Previous AI‑generated music issues
Earlier in the season, the siblings faced backlash for using AI‑generated music that echoed the 1990s hit “You Get What You Give” by New Radicals. The routine began with the lyric “Every night we smash a Mercedes Benz!”—a direct lift from the original song.
- YouTube excerpt of the routine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvKOjFqyDQE
- New Radicals music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DL7-CKirWZE
The AI‑generated lyrics also included lines such as “Wake up, kids / We got the dreamer’s disease” and “First we run, and then we laugh ’til we cry,” both of which appear in the New Radicals track.
Recent changes to the music
Before the Olympics, the duo swapped the New Radicals‑style lyrics for new AI‑generated verses that resemble Bon Jovi lyrics, as noted by journalist Shana Bartels in November. For example, the phrase “raise your hands, set the night on fire” mirrors Bon Jovi’s song “Raise Your Hands.”
- AI‑generated lyric video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsfRhm0CcXM
- Shana Bartels’ commentary: https://www.patreon.com/posts/follow-up-and-ai-143894585
- Bon Jovi’s “Raise Your Hands”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLD1rWuH1JA
During their Olympic performance, the AI track transitioned into the genuine AC/DC classic “Thunderstruck,” a real song from the 1990s.
Industry context
The specific software used to generate the music has not been disclosed, but it likely involves a large‑language model (LLM) trained on extensive music libraries—often through legally ambiguous means. An example of such controversy is the lawsuit against Anthropic for alleged piracy of 20,000 works: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/29/music-publishers-sue-anthropic-for-3b-over-flagrant-piracy-of-20000-works/
AI‑generated musicians are gaining attention. Telisha Jones, a 31‑year‑old from Mississippi, used the AI tool Suno to set her poetry to music under the persona Xania Monet, subsequently securing a $3 million record deal: https://www.ebony.com/xania-monet-ai-artist-record-deal/
The debate continues over how AI influences creativity in sports and music, and whether such innovations enhance or detract from the athletes’ achievements.