A pair of figure skaters at the 2026 Winter Olympics are at the center of a new controversy about AI’s role in the sport.
On Monday, Feb. 9, Czech figure skating partners Katerina Mrazkova and Daniel Mrazek competed in the rhythm dance segment of the Games to an AC/DC remix that was generated using AI, per Newsweek and Sports Illustrated.
Online, the figure skaters’ routine drew attention due to its use of AI, which has become controversial in recent years due to its harmful environmental effects, ethical concerns about its usage and its perceived replacement of a human touch in artistic pursuits.
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Katerina Mrazkova and Daniel Mrazek of Team Czechia.Sarah Stier/Getty
Sports Illustrated editor Mitch Goldich reflected on the Czech pair’s performance, calling attention to the irony of using artificially generated music for a famously creative sport.
“This whole sport, it feels like, 90% of it is artistry and human creativity,” Goldich said. “It just so stupid to me, especially since there are so many people in the sport who … put so much thought into the musical selection.”
Goldich initially reacted to the AI music live in a post on X, and figure skating fans echoed the editor’s distaste for the music choice.
One wondered if the athletes and coaches considered the discourse around AI when choosing the music, and called AI an “automatic turn off.” Another asked if the use of AI would constitute a disqualification.
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For their routine on Feb. 9, Mrazkova and Mrazek — who are siblings — received a total score of 72.09, with 40.50 for technical display and 31.59 for program components. The partners are ranked 17th and are not currently poised to finish in a medal-earning spot.
The rhythm dance competition saw French skating pair Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron finish in first, ahead of the United States team of Madison Chock and Evan Bates and Canadian team Piper Gilles and Paul Poirer, which ranked in second and third, respectively.
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Katerina Mrazkova and partner Daniel Mrazek of Team Czechia.Jamie Squire/Getty
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All contending teams will compete on Wednesday, Feb. 11 in the free dance, which will determine medals.
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