MLB Players Strike Deal with Genies to Create AI Avatars That Chat with Fans
5 Sources
5 Sources
[1]
MLB players strike deal to be turned into AI characters that can chat with fans
NEW YORK (AP) -- Major League Baseball players have agreed to let a tech company create AI characters of themselves that can chat and interact with fans. Under an agreement announced Thursday between Genies MLB Players Inc., the business affiliate of the players' association, AI avatars of top stars will be created that can have conversations with fans. Each avatar will reflect a player's voice and interests. Genies will have the ability to charge for chat interactions, in-app experiences and digital goods. The company could not say which players will initially be available as avatars.
[2]
Exclusive: Genies to create AI avatars of MLB stars
Why it matters: The collaboration redefines how players can connect with fans and how they can monetize their likeness in the AI era. How it works: Genies will use its proprietary technology to generate interactive AI companions of MLB players and is working with the MLBPA on their approved rights for data sets on name, image and likeness to create the avatars. * The experience is exclusively chat via text or voice. All the players in the league can have an avatar, which will be available on Genies.com. But in the future, they potentially could be used through third-party apps that use Genies' SDK. * Monetization could include paid chats or digital goods. Players also could choose to use their avatar in sponsorships. Context: Founded in 2017, Genies' early efforts included personalized digital avatars reenacting news and then digital avatars for celebrities like Justin Bieber. * In 2022, Genies raised a $150 million Series C at a $1 billion valuation, including from Disney's Bob Iger, who also was a board member. That funding came at a time when metaverse and web3 were popular vernacular. But the concept of avatars has persisted. * "Genies is looking to own the visual layer for all LLM experiences," Nigam says. "We believe that every single human on Earth ... is going to have some avatar representation, and we believe that you're going to interface with the internet through these AI avatars." * While it previously took eight weeks and five staffers to generate one avatar, Genies can now auto-generate avatars. It makes money by licensing its tech. It has three SDKs, one of which is in the Unity store. The big picture: IP owners like sports leagues and athletes are exploring AI as a new creative tool and commercial opportunity. * "Typically an artist or a player gets scared of an AI replica of themselves because they don't want to be replaced," Nigam says. "Because of the stylized avatar, a fan knows." * When it comes to chatbots, there is also hesitation over potential brand safety issues. Meta's AI chatbots, voiced by celebrities like John Cena, participated in sexualized conversations, as the Wall Street Journal reported last year. * Genies' system restrict topics such as child exploitation, sex and violence and can tailor conversation limits according to an organization or individual's preferences, Nigam says. What's next: Genies has signed with 10 major partners across music, entertainment and sports, including MLB Players, Inc., with the rest to be announced in the coming months.
[3]
MLB players strike deal to be turned into AI characters that can chat with fans
NEW YORK -- Major League Baseball players have agreed to let a tech company create AI characters of themselves that can chat and interact with fans. Under an agreement announced Thursday between Genies MLB Players Inc., the business affiliate of the players' association, AI avatars of top stars will be created that can have conversations with fans. Each avatar will reflect a player's voice and interests. Genies will have the ability to charge for chat interactions, in-app experiences and digital goods. The company could not say which players will initially be available as avatars.
[4]
MLB players strike deal to be turned into AI characters that can chat with fans
NEW YORK -- Major League Baseball players have agreed to let a tech company create AI characters of themselves that can chat and interact with fans. Under an agreement announced Thursday between Genies and MLB Players Inc., the business affiliate of the players' association, AI avatars of top stars will be created that can have conversations with fans. Each avatar will reflect a player's voice and interests. Genies will have the ability to charge for chat interactions, in-app experiences and digital goods. The company could not say which players will initially be available as avatars.
[5]
MLB players strike deal to be AI characters
NEW YORK -- Major League Baseball players have agreed to let a tech company create AI characters of themselves that can chat and interact with fans. Under an agreement announced Thursday between Genies and MLB Players Inc., the business affiliate of the players' association, AI avatars of top stars will be created that can have conversations with fans. Each avatar will reflect a player's voice and interests. Genies will have the ability to charge for chat interactions, in-app experiences and digital goods. The company could not say which players will initially be available as avatars.
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Major League Baseball players have partnered with tech company Genies to create AI avatars that can interact with fans through text or voice conversations. The deal, announced through MLB Players, Inc., allows the company to charge for chat interactions and digital goods while players maintain control over their digital likeness in the AI era.
MLB Players Partner with Genies for AI Avatar Creation
Major League Baseball players have entered a deal with tech company Genies to transform how they engage with fans through AI-powered avatars
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. The partnership with MLB Players, Inc., the business affiliate of the players' association, enables the creation of AI characters that can chat with fans through text or voice interactions2
. Each avatar will reflect a player's unique voice and interests, offering an unprecedented way for baseball enthusiasts to connect with their favorite stars.
Source: Axios
How Interactive AI Companions Will Work
Genies will deploy its proprietary technology to generate interactive AI companions of MLB players, working directly with the MLBPA on approved rights for data sets covering name, image and likeness
2
. The experience centers exclusively on chat via text or voice, with all league players eligible to have an avatar available on Genies.com2
. While the company has not specified which players will initially be available as avatars, the platform could eventually expand through third-party apps using Genies' SDKs2
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.Monetization Opportunities and Digital Goods
Genies will have the ability to charge for chat interactions, in-app experiences and digital goods, opening new revenue streams for players in the digital space
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. Monetization could include paid chats or digital merchandise, with players also having the option to use their avatar in sponsorships2
. This approach allows athletes to monetize fan interactions in ways that were previously impossible, capitalizing on their digital likeness while maintaining control over how their AI representations are used.
Source: ESPN
Genies' Evolution and Technology Advances
Founded in 2017, Genies initially focused on personalized digital avatars reenacting news and later created digital avatars for celebrities like Justin Bieber
2
. In 2022, the company raised a $150 million Series C at a $1 billion valuation, with backing from Disney's Bob Iger, who also joined as a board member2
. That funding arrived during peak interest in the metaverse and Web3, but the avatar concept has persisted and evolved. According to Genies CEO Akash Nigam, "Genies is looking to own the visual layer for all LLM experiences," with the belief that "every single human on Earth is going to have some avatar representation"2
. The company has dramatically improved efficiency, reducing avatar generation from eight weeks with five staffers to auto-generation, and now makes money by licensing its tech through three SDKs, one of which is available in the Unity store2
.Related Stories
Addressing Brand Safety and Content Restrictions
As IP owners like sports leagues and athletes explore AI as a creative tool and commercial opportunity, concerns about brand safety remain paramount. Nigam notes that "typically an artist or a player gets scared of an AI replica of themselves because they don't want to be replaced," but the stylized avatar approach ensures fans recognize the distinction
2
. Brand safety concerns have emerged across the industry, with Meta's AI chatbots voiced by celebrities like John Cena participating in sexualized conversations, as reported by the Wall Street Journal2
. To address these issues, Genies' system includes content restriction protocols that block topics such as child exploitation, sex and violence, with the ability to tailor conversation limits according to an organization or individual's preferences2
.What This Means for Fan Engagement
This deal signals a shift in how professional athletes can maintain fan engagement beyond traditional appearances and social media. For MLB players, AI avatars offer a scalable way to interact with millions of fans simultaneously without the time constraints of physical appearances. Fans should watch for the initial roster of available players and how pricing structures for paid interactions will be implemented. Genies has signed with 10 major partners across music, entertainment and sports, including MLB Players, Inc., with additional announcements expected in coming months
2
. The success of this initiative could influence how other sports leagues and entertainment industries approach AI-driven fan experiences, potentially setting a standard for athlete representation in the digital age.References
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