When Czech ice dancers Kateřina Mrázková and Daniel Mrázek took the ice at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, they became the first Olympic competitors to incorporate AI-generated music into their rhythm dance routine. The sibling duo's choice—pairing an artificial intelligence composition styled after 1990s rock with AC/DC's "Thunderstruck"—complied with International Skating Union rules but ignited a global conversation about technology's role in artistic sports.
Credit: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images
The controversy centers on a fundamental tension facing modern athletes: how to fulfill strict musical requirements while navigating complex copyright landscapes. This season's rhythm dance theme mandated music capturing "the feeling of the 1990s," yet securing licenses for popular tracks remains a persistent hurdle for skaters worldwide. Mrázková and Mrázek's solution—commissioning an AI to create original 90s-style rock—highlights both the promise and pitfalls of emerging creative technologies on sport's biggest stage.
The 1990s Theme Challenge
Each Olympic figure skating season assigns a specific musical theme for the rhythm dance segment, requiring competitors to interpret that era's sounds and movement styles with technical precision. For 2025-2026, the International Skating Union selected 1990s music, dance styles, and feeling as the unifying concept. Skaters responded with tributes spanning grunge, hip-hop, boy bands, and pop icons—Madonna's "Vogue," Spice Girls medleys, and Backstreet Boys arrangements filled rinks across the competition circuit.
Yet beneath the nostalgic soundtrack lies a complicated rights landscape. Unlike classical compositions often in the public domain, 1990s pop and rock tracks remain tightly controlled by publishers and labels. While Olympic broadcasters secure blanket performance licenses through organizations like ASCAP and BMI, individual skaters still face uncertainty about whether their specific music choices comply with evolving copyright interpretations. Some athletes have received last-minute notices requiring music changes days before major competitions.
How AI Entered the Rink
Mrázková and Mrázek's program combined two distinct musical elements: AC/DC's authentic 1990 hit "Thunderstruck" and an AI-generated composition officially listed in competition materials as "One Two by AI (of 90s style Bon Jovi)." The International Skating Union updated its rulebook ahead of the 2025-2026 season to explicitly permit AI-created music, recognizing growing interest among athletes seeking original compositions that avoid licensing complications.
The Czech pair had experimented with AI music throughout the season during international competitions leading to the Olympics. Their rhythm dance featured Mrázek executing a dramatic cartwheel lift while spinning his sister overhead—a technically demanding element requiring perfect synchronization with musical accents. During NBC's broadcast, a commentator briefly noted the AI origin of the opening segment, drawing immediate attention to the technological choice.
The Plagiarism Question
The routine's reception turned complicated when listeners identified striking similarities between the AI composition and existing 1990s hits. Music analysts noted the track bore resemblance not only to Bon Jovi's catalog but also to New Radicals' 1998 anthem "You Get What You Give," raising questions about whether the AI had effectively replicated copyrighted material rather than generating truly original work.
This distinction matters critically under skating regulations. While AI-generated music receives explicit approval, performances incorporating unlicensed reproductions of existing songs violate competition rules. The International Skating Union has not issued sanctions against the Czech pair, suggesting officials determined their submission met regulatory standards. Nevertheless, the incident exposed a gray area in creative technology: when does AI "inspiration" cross into problematic replication?
Copyright experts note that current AI music tools train on vast datasets of existing recordings, potentially reproducing melodic phrases, chord progressions, or vocal stylings without direct copying. Determining infringement becomes legally complex when outputs evoke—but don't exactly duplicate—a protected work. For Olympic athletes operating under tight preparation schedules, these nuances present significant risk.
Why Skaters Turn to Technology
Understanding the Czech duo's choice requires context about figure skating's evolving relationship with music. Until 2014, skaters could only use instrumental compositions, largely avoiding copyright entanglements. The rule change permitting vocal music opened creative possibilities but introduced licensing complexities that national skating federations struggle to navigate consistently.
Smaller federations like the Czech Republic's face particular challenges securing rights for major-label recordings compared to well-resourced programs from the United States or Canada. Commissioning original compositions from human musicians remains costly and time-intensive. AI generation offers an accessible alternative—producing custom tracks matching specific tempo requirements, emotional arcs, and thematic constraints within hours rather than weeks.
Several coaches acknowledge exploring AI tools for practice music or early choreography development, though few have committed to competition use. The Czech pair's Olympic appearance may accelerate broader adoption—or prompt stricter regulations—as governing bodies assess whether current frameworks adequately address technological disruption.
The Artistic Integrity Debate
Beyond legal considerations, the incident sparked philosophical discussion about authenticity in performance sports. Ice dance uniquely blends athletic precision with artistic interpretation, requiring couples to convey emotion and narrative through movement synchronized to musical phrasing. Critics argue that delegating musical creation to algorithms risks diminishing the human connection between skater, choreographer, and composer that defines the discipline's artistic heritage.
Supporters counter that technology has always shaped figure skating—from synthetic ice surfaces to advanced boot engineering—and that AI represents another tool for creative problem-solving. They emphasize that skaters still interpret the music through physically demanding movement, with human artistry remaining central to the performance regardless of the soundtrack's origin.
Olympic judges evaluate programs based on technical elements and program components including musical interpretation, but scoring guidelines don't differentiate between human-composed and AI-generated soundtracks. The Czech pair received a rhythm dance score of 72.09 points, placing 17th in a competitive field—a result reflecting execution quality rather than musical controversy.
What Comes Next for Olympic Music
The International Skating Union now faces pressure to clarify expectations around AI-generated content before the next competitive cycle. Potential regulatory paths include requiring disclosure of AI involvement in program music, establishing verification processes to ensure originality, or developing partnerships with ethical AI music platforms that guarantee copyright clearance.
Meanwhile, music licensing organizations are adapting to skating's needs. Some federations report improved collaboration with rights holders recognizing the promotional value of Olympic exposure. Others advocate for expanded blanket licensing agreements covering all competition music, reducing individual skaters' administrative burdens.
For athletes, the episode underscores a broader reality: technological tools will increasingly intersect with creative sports. The challenge lies in harnessing innovation while preserving the human artistry that makes disciplines like ice dance compelling to global audiences. As one veteran choreographer noted, the most successful programs—regardless of musical origin—remain those where technology serves artistic vision rather than replacing it.
Mrázková and Mrázek's Olympic debut may be remembered less for their placement than for catalyzing an essential conversation about creativity's future in sport. Their choice reflects genuine constraints facing modern athletes while exposing unresolved questions about authorship, originality, and the evolving definition of artistic expression. As AI capabilities advance, the skating community's response will help shape standards across performance disciplines where human creativity meets machine assistance—a boundary being redrawn not just on Olympic ice, but across the cultural landscape.
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