IBM Brings AI Power to Ferrari’s F1 Fan App

IBM has officially debuted new AI-powered features for the Scuderia Ferrari app, timed with the 2026 Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix. Built on IBM watsonx, the update introduces an AI Companion, interactive Game Center, and enhanced Race Center to deepen fan engagement for Ferrari’s 400 million global Tifosi.

Key New Features

• AI Companion (powered by IBM watsonx):
  • Acts as a digital guide for fans
  • Supports conversation-style prompts
  • Provides contextual responses using Ferrari’s racing data
• Game Center:
  • Unified hub for race predictors, quizzes, and challenges
  • Global leaderboards, digital achievements, and badges
  • Social media integration for sharing accomplishments
  • New Countdown Quiz: timed 60-second challenges
• Achievements Tab:
  • Unlock digital badges through participation
  • Easy sharing across social platforms
• Race Center Enhancements:
  • Detailed session timelines from practice to race day
  • Improved real-time driver data
  • Curated insights for deeper fan understanding

Why This Matters

Feature	Impact
AI Companion	Personalized, interactive fan engagement
Game Center	Gamifies race weekends, boosts repeat usage
Countdown Quiz	Adds competitive, timed challenges
Achievements Tab	Encourages social sharing & loyalty
Race Center	Delivers richer, real-time race insights

Strategic Context

• Audience Reach: Ferrari’s app targets nearly 400 million global fans
• Technology Backbone: IBM watsonx + Watsonx Orchestrate ensure contextual, data-driven responses
• Engagement Goal: Move beyond static information to immersive, participatory fan experiences
• Quote from IBM: “By putting AI at the core of the Scuderia Ferrari app experience, we are transforming how millions of Tifosi engage with the sport.” — Jonathan Adashek, SVP Marketing & Communications, IBM

Considerations

• Data Accuracy: AI responses depend on curated Ferrari datasets; misinformation risks must be managed
• Fan Inclusivity: Features must balance hardcore F1 knowledge with accessibility for casual fans
• Global Rollout: Engagement may vary across regions; localization will be key

To summarize, IBM’s AI-powered upgrade transforms the Scuderia Ferrari app into a dynamic, gamified, and personalized platform, aligning with Formula 1’s push for deeper digital fan engagement.

IBM will continue rolling out new features on the Scuderia Ferrari HP app throughout the 2026 season.

Download the redesigned Scuderia Ferrari mobile app, available for mobile devices, in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. Click here to learn more about IBM and the Scuderia Ferrari app.

Fandom Platform Fanon Raises $1 Mn in a Pre-seed Round Led by Kalaari Capital and Gruhas

Fanon, a platform built exclusively for fandom storytelling and discussion, has raised $1 million in pre-seed funding in a round co-led by Kalaari Capital and Gruhas. The round marks Fanon’s first institutional fundraise as the company looks to scale its presence globally.

Founded by lifelong fans, Fanon was built around a simple idea: fandom today is fragmented across too many platforms. Fans move between Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Reddit, Discord, Webtoons, DeviantArt, and YouTube to consume theories, fanfiction, art, discussion and memes. Fanon brings these behaviours together into a single platform where fans can explore alternate storylines through stories, comics, and videos and engage with others who share the same obsession.

Fandom and fanfiction-related content now drives over 500 billion views annually across major social platforms, signalling a shift from niche subculture to mainstream behaviour. Fanon has leaned into this shift by building dedicated spaces for fan-driven formats such as “Fix-Its,” where fans reimagine endings or rewrite story arcs from popular franchises. The platform currently hosts fan works across more than 250 fandoms, including Harry Potter, Hazbin Hotel, My Hero Academia, Marvel, The Lion King and Undertale.

The capital will be used to grow Fanon’s user base to over one million users across its apps and website, build monetization pathways for fan creators, and expand its team across product, marketing, and technology. The company is also investing in discovery and storytelling tools designed specifically for fandom-driven content.

Commenting on the fundraise, Jatin Nayak, Nesar Rao, and Arvindmani Satyanarayan, co-founders at Fanon said “Fandom is one of the most creative and underserved communities on the internet. Fans spend countless hours writing stories, drawing comics, and building alternate universes, yet they’ve never had a platform designed specifically for how they create and consume content. We’re building Fanon as the place we always wished existed where fandom is taken seriously, creativity is respected, and fans can finally find their people.”

Speaking on the investment, Vamshi Reddy, Partner, Kalaari Capital commented “Fanon is tapping into a cultural behaviour that already exists at massive scale. The team has shown strong product intuition by focusing on fandom-first storytelling and fan expression. With the explosion of creative tools and technology, fan creators will be able to make their own feature length films soon. We believe Fanon has the potential to become the default destination for fan-driven narratives globally.”

Fandom Founders

Abhijeet Pai, Co-Founder, Gruhas commented “Fanon is redefining what fandom can be — immersive, inclusive, and driven by the people who love it most. At a time when long-form storytelling is resurging and fans are seeking spaces that are safe, engaging, and supportive, Fanon brings communities together while empowering creators to tell the stories that matter. We’re thrilled to back a platform that builds a sustainable, global ecosystem for fan-driven content.”

Shobu Yarlagadda, CEO & Co-Founder, Arka Media Works added “Deepening the connection between fans and the Baahubali universe has always been a priority for us at Arka. Through our collaboration with Fanon, we’re empowering audiences to reimagine the saga and stay meaningfully engaged with the characters they know and love.”

Fanon’s user base today is largely Gen Z, with a strong female audience between the ages of 15 and 25. The platform has grown to over 125,000 users, with a large percentage of users based in the United States, Canada, the UK and Europe . The top ten stories on the platform have collectively crossed 1.5 million views, with users spending an average of 20 minutes daily on Fanon.

In the past, Fanon has also partnered with Arka Media Works, the studio behind the Baahubali franchise. The collaboration allowed fans to officially create and monetize alternate storylines using Baahubali characters, giving them the opportunity to rewrite the saga and participate in the franchise’s extended universe.

As Fanon scales, the company aims to deepen its relationship with both fans and IP holders, while staying focused on its long-term vision: enabling every fan - no matter how niche their obsession - to find their fandom.
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HCLTech, Microsoft Partner with Cricket Australia to Leverage GenAI for Enhancing Fans Experience

Leading global technology companies, HCLTech and Microsoft, have partnered with Cricket Australia (CA) to leverage generative AI (GenAI) to enhance the way fans experience live matches via the Cricket Australia Live app.

The app’s new AI Insights matchday companion feature provides fans with a regular feed of text-based updates as matches progress. The feature uses AI rooted in a deep understanding of cricket to identify key narratives, player performances and notable milestones that go beyond the live scores and commentary, giving new context and insight to what is happening on the field.

The AI Insights matchday companion launches today at the Day-Night Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) during the CommBank Women's Ashes series between Australia and England. This innovative feature is now accessible to all users of the Cricket Australia Live App worldwide.

“By harnessing the power of GenAI, we have the ability to reimagine the way fans engage with sport,” said Sonia Eland, Executive Vice President and Country Manager, Australia and New Zealand, HCLTech. “HCLTech has partnered with Cricket Australia for several years through our long-term role as the sport’s Official Digital Technology Partner, but our collaboration with Microsoft will further enhance the digital experience. Ultimately, our goal is to bring cricket fans even closer to the action.”

Cricket Australia has leveraged Microsoft’s Azure Open AI Service as well as HCLTech’s front-end and API development support to create a more accessible match day AI companion for cricket fans.

“We’re excited to bring cutting-edge AI technology to cricket fans through our partnership with Cricket Australia and HCLTech,” said Sarah Carney, Chief Technology Officer at Microsoft Australia and New Zealand. “This innovation demonstrates how generative AI is transforming the way we interact with the world around us, bringing insight, meaning and personalisation to audiences old and new.”

HCLTech and Cricket Australia began working together in 2019 to transform the organization’s core API platforms. In 2023, they extended the partnership for another five years, with HCLTech continuing its role as the CA’s Official Digital Technology Partner. The multi-year partnership has included initiatives like TechJam, a crowdsourcing effort to develop innovative tech solutions for the sport, as well as HCLTech’s role in making Cricket Australia Live the number one sporting app in Australia.

"We are very excited to partner with both HCLTech and Microsoft to create brilliant experiences for our fans by enhancing the CA Live app,” said Nick Hockley, CEO, Cricket Australia. "Our aspiration is to be a world leader in the way sporting codes bring fans closer to the game through digital technologies and we’re thrilled to launch this latest innovation at the CommBank Women's Ashes Day-Night Test.”

Learn more about the partnership: https://news.microsoft.com/source/asia/features/from-grassroots-to-elite-how-cricket-australia-is-scoring-better-digital-experiences-with-ai-and-cloud-technology/

HCLTech is a global technology company, home to more than 220,000 people across 60 countries, delivering industry-leading capabilities centered around digital, engineering, cloud and AI, powered by a broad portfolio of technology services and products. We work with clients across all major verticals, providing industry solutions for Financial Services, Manufacturing, Life Sciences and Healthcare, Technology and Services, Telecom and Media, Retail and CPG and Public Services. Consolidated revenues as of 12 months ending December 2024 totaled $13.8 billion. To learn how we can supercharge progress for you, visit hcltech.com.

Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) creates platforms and tools powered by AI to deliver innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers. The technology company is committed to making AI available broadly and doing so responsibly, with a mission to empower every person and every organisation on the planet to achieve more.

Cricket Australia (CA) is the national governing body for the game of cricket in Australia. Australian Cricket is administered by CA and its members, the six state and two territory associations. Cricket is Australia’s one true national sport with a men’s and women’s team that capture the nation every summer along with two of the biggest domestic competitions in the country – the Weber WBBL and KFC BBL. At an international level, CA was a foundation member of cricket’s world governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC), and is one of 12 ICC full members.

This Wimbledon, IBM WatsonX is Powering New Generative AI Feature for Personalised Player Stories at the Championship

The Wimbledon Championships, commonly known simply as Wimbledon, is starting from 1st July. The oldest tennis tournament in the world is regarded by many as the most prestigious. The upcoming Wimbledon 2024 will be played over 14 days, starting from Monday, July 1, and concluding on Sunday, July 14. The schedule includes Gentlemen's and Ladies' Singles matches in the initial days, followed by Doubles and Mixed Doubles events.

This year, IBM and The All England Lawn Tennis Club have introduced a fascinating new feature for the Wimbledon digital experience: "Catch Me Up." This innovative tool leverages match data with generative AI from IBM's AI and data platform, watsonx, to keep fans updated on the world's leading players as they progress through The Championships. Here's how it works:

• Personalized Player Cards: The "Catch Me Up" feature displays pre and post-match player cards on wimbledon.com and the Wimbledon 2024 App. These cards are tailored based on user preferences and data, including location and myWimbledon profile. They start with users' favorite players.
• Pre-Match Insights: Before matches, the feature provides analysis of recent player performance and likelihood-to-win predictions.
• Post-Match Highlights: After matches, the player cards include key statistics and highlights.

Additionally, "Catch Me Up" creates longer-form daily summaries of play, enhancing the overall fan experience.

The announcement comes as new research from IBM and Morning Consult reveals that 55% of global tennis fans surveyed think AI will have a positive impact on sports. When considering how generative AI could improve their experience, these respondents prioritised real-time updates (36%), personalised content (31%), and unique insights (30%).

Approximately one-third (31%) of global tennis fans surveyed use multiple devices while watching sporting events, primarily to get more information, watch multiple matches at the same time, and interact with other fans. In addition, nearly half (47%) of them engage with additional content on tennis daily or weekly and rank summarisation and personalisation as the two most important features of sports content.

The underlying technology behind this feature is IBM's Granite Large Language Model (LLM), which generates AI-driven text using the capabilities of the watsonx platform. It has been trained on the Wimbledon editorial style and will be monitored by the All England Club.

This year, Wimbledon is also expanding its coverage using generative AI to include a broader range of matches, including wheelchair events, to cater to its diverse international audience. The redesigned digital match center, known as IBM Slamtracker, will offer bullet point-based match previews and post-match reviews for both ladies' and gentlemen's singles matches on the Wimbledon App and wimbledon.com

To recall, in this year's French Open Tennis Tournament dubbed as Roland-Garros 2024, the Indian IT giant Infosys partnered with the French Tennis Federation to introduce several AI-first innovations, marking a significant evolution in their sixth year of collaboration. Infosys also partnered with Tennis Australia at the 2024 Australian Open (AO) to bring generative AI technologies for fan engagement, player performance, and digital content creation.

Infosys Unveils Several AI-first Innovations for 2024 French Open Tennis Tournament, Roland-Garros 2024

Infosys has been making waves with its advanced AI-led innovations at Roland-Garros 2024. The Indian IT giant has partnered with the French Tennis Federation to introduce several AI-first innovations, marking a significant evolution in their sixth year of collaboration. These innovations are set to enhance the digital experience for fans, players, coaches, and the media alike.

Leveraging Infosys Topaz, an AI-first set of services, solutions, and platforms using generative AI technologies, the new feature set will enhance the RG digital experience for fans, players, coaches, and the media. Beyond the set of existing innovations such as AI Assisted Journalism, AI Videos, and Match Centre, the following new experiences are slated to be launched this year.

Some of the key features introduced by Infosys include:

• RG Gen AI Poster Challenge – The RG Gen AI Poster Challenge features on the Roland-Garros digital properties and enables fans to create their artistic renditions of the iconic RG Posters using Generative AI. It brings alive the unique history of RG with modern technology. Fans will also be able to vote for their favorite poster; and winners will be awarded tickets for the RG 2025 edition.
• AI Bracket Challenge – The AI Bracket Challenge introduces a gamified layer to the Roland-Garros experience, inviting fans to engage in predictive gameplay by forecasting match outcomes throughout the tournament. It also features an AI powered auto predict feature that fans can leverage to help complete their brackets. The feature adds a competitive and immersive element to the tournament experience, with winners slated to get access to 2025 match tickets.
• New Symbol Room in RG’s Infosys 3D Art Museum – The newly introduced Symbol Room in the Infosys 3D Art Museum enriches the virtual visitor experience by providing a digital showcase of iconic symbols and moments from Roland-Garros history. This room, accessible through the RG website, features high-resolution 3D scans of memorabilia, interactive exhibits, and detailed narratives that bring the tournament's storied past to life.
• Split Screen Analysis in Players Portal – The enhanced Split Screen Analysis tool in the Players Portal offers a sophisticated analytical platform designed specifically for players and coaches. By providing side-by-side video comparisons and real-time performance analytics, this tool helps users dissect and understand gameplay nuances. Players can review their performances, compare them with past games or those of their opponents, and receive tailored feedback generated through AI-driven insights. This analysis supports strategic planning and training, allowing players to adapt their techniques and strategies based on detailed, data-backed evaluations.

These initiatives by Infosys are a testament to the potential of AI in transforming sports experiences, making them more interactive and insightful for everyone involved. It's a game-changing move that's sure to set a new standard for technology in sports.

Off court, Infosys and FFT continue a successful STEM program that will engage 30 students from Gerson School in Paris, providing them with firsthand learning experiences at Roland-Garros. Students will visit Roland-Garros and take part in dedicated workshops with tech experts from Infosys, aimed at helping them develop an understanding about how technology is used in tennis, further bridging the gap between technology and practical education.

The tournament runs from 20th May 2024 to 9th June 2024. To experience the latest digital innovations, visit Roland-Garros.com.

Infosys Brings AI-First Technologies To Australian Open 2024 for A More Immersive Experience

• Infosys and Tennis Australia launch digital platforms to empower fan, player, and media with all-new generative AI features
• Infosys also launched an all-new Gen AI experience ‘Rafa Forever’ inviting millions of fans missing Rafa at AO to celebrate the legend fans missing Rafa at AO to celebrate the legend

Infosys (NSE, BSE, NYSE: INFY), a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, is advancing it’s AI footprint at the 2024 Australian Open (AO) with generative AI technologies for fan engagement, player performance, and digital content creation. Infosys and AO are also leveraging a digital skilling platform to build future leaders in Australia.

Infosys is leveraging its AI-first set of services, solutions, with Infosys Topaz, to evolve the AO experience. Infosys Topaz is delivering the large language models and cognitive core to accelerate Tennis Australia’s AI journey. The AO Grand Slam experience has been reimagined in many new ways such as:

AO 2024 Bracket Challenge vs AI: Fans test their predictive mettle against AI through AO’s all-new Bracket Challenge on AO’s website, a Tournament Challenge that went live on Jan 11, in which fans made predictions for the entire tournament & challenge themselves against AI, and a Daily Challenge to predict the day’s match winners.

Infosys Match Centre gets more cognitive with Gen AI Story Cards: For fans experiencing the Infosys Match Centre, the Key Stats feature provides contextual insights in a card-like format as the match progresses. AI Match Bytes, using Gen AI, creates match story visual cards and narrates the story of a match to fans. Win Predictor tracks the probabilities of victory as the match progresses on court.

Graffiti-inspired AI art and VR under one roof: The Fan Zone pays tribute to the iconic graffiti of Melbourne with a series of graffiti portraits, created using generative AI technology powered by Infosys Topaz. Inside the Fan Zone, fans can get up close with Iga Swiatek and Rafael Nadal through Augmented Reality selfies and face off against Rafa in the ultimate VR tennis match up. They will also go home with bespoke giveaways inspired by the graffiti portraits of Rafael Nadal.

Amplifying human potential on court and beyond: AI is watching match action at AO 24 to feed players and coaches winning insights to unlock the keys to victory through a series of features. For the media team, the AI Shot of the Day enhances Tennis Australia’s ability to quickly post the highlights from each day’s play, packaged as social media ready clips, enabling engagement without the time-consuming task of scouring through match footage manually.

Off the court, Infosys and Tennis Australia are also collaborating for AI-enabled digital skilling, by giving year 10 and 11 students from metropolitan Melbourne, regional Victoria and New South Wales access to curated learning powered by Infosys Springboard. The students will also get a
glimpse of a generative AI future by visiting the Infosys Fan Zone.

Beyond the transformation for Australian Open, to celebrate the tennis legend and Infosys ambassador Rafael Nadal, who misses out on this year’s tournament due to injury, Infosys has also launched an all-new Generative AI experience ‘Rafa Forever’ (Infosys.RafaForever.com), through which fans can imagine their personalized creative masterpiece to celebrate the tennis legend, with Generative AI technology.

Craig Tiley, CEO of Tennis Australia, and Australian Open Tournament Director, said, “For the past six years, Infosys has helped Tennis Australia to raise the bar and serve up new experiences for fans using digital technologies. We’re excited to see the leaps being made with AI at AO 2024. AI is enabling new dimensions of interactivity for fans and insight for players, not to mention the speed and scale it brings to our content delivery."

Andrew Groth, Executive Vice President Asia Pacific, Infosys, said, “Our association with AO has enabled us to push the boundaries of innovation across key digital and physical touchpoints, to create experiences that inform and engage as much as they entertain. This year, we are leveraging Infosys Topaz to bring a host of AI-first experiences to serve players, fans, and the media, and shape the future of the game. We have also enjoyed our ambassador Iga Świątek, take to the courts to compete in the first grand slam of the year. We are also excited to see our purpose in play at the Australian Open, even as our technologies continue to empower and manifest the next opportunity for everyone.”

Follow all the action from the tournament on AusOpen.com and discover more about the partnership at Infosys.com/AusOpen.

About Infosys

Infosys is a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting. Over 300,000 of our people work to amplify human potential and create the next opportunity for people, businesses and communities. We enable clients in more than 56 countries to navigate their digital transformation. With over four decades of experience in managing the systems and workings of global enterprises, we expertly steer clients, as they navigate their digital transformation powered by cloud and AI. We enable them with an AI-first core, empower the business with agile digital at scale and drive continuous improvement with always-on learning through the transfer of digital skills, expertise, and ideas from our innovation ecosystem. We are deeply committed to being a well-governed, environmentally sustainable organization where diverse talent thrives in an inclusive workplace.