HCLTech and Microsoft partner with Cricket Australia to transform fan experience with GenAI

• 31 Jan 2025
• TM Team
• 0 Comments

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.”