Rajasthan Royals are taking their partnership with OpenAI beyond conventional sponsorship, using AI across talent scouting, performance analysis, internal operations and fan content, as IPL franchises do.
The move will boost the adoption of AI as a tool for work.
The move puts the franchise among the teams using AI not just to engage supporters, but to improve how decisions are made behind the scenes.
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OpenAI Becomes Part of Rajasthan Royals’ Wider Workflow
The relationship between Rajasthan Royals and OpenAI began before the sponsorship agreement, according to Alok Chitre, Chief Operating Officer of Rajasthan Royals. The focus was on identifying practical uses for AI rather than simply branding the team around ChatGPT.
For the Royals, that includes using AI to analyse data, support scouting and develop content. The approach builds on the franchise’s existing reliance on analytics to identify players and assess performance.
Rajasthan Royals have previously used data profiles, scouting reports and video analysis to build a fuller picture of potential recruits.
The franchise has also opened parts of its analytical approach to fans. Its SupeRR Selector initiative attracted 7,500 participants from 39 countries and received 1,500 valid submissions, showing the scale of interest in data-led cricket decision-making.
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AI Expands from Scouting to Fan Engagement
OpenAI’s IPL 2026 strategy covers five franchises:
- Chennai Super Kings
- Delhi Capitals
- Lucknow Super Giants
- Royal Challengers Bengaluru
- Rajasthan Royals
The wider partnership includes the ChatGPT Match IQ Award & #FullFanMode, a custom GPT experience that lets fans create personalised team posters.
For Rajasthan Royals, the integration also reflects a broader use of technology across performance, commercial activity and fan engagement. The franchise already uses data systems, video tools, wearables and simulations to support cricket decisions, including recruitment, auction planning and match scenarios.
The shift is significant because AI is moving from an advertising category in the IPL to an integral part of how franchises operate. With OpenAI APIs being used across performance, commercial and fan-facing functions, Rajasthan Royals offer a useful example of that change.
The bigger development is not another AI sponsorship. It is the shift towards AI becoming part of the everyday machinery of professional sport, helping teams find talent, interpret information and produce content faster. At the same time, human coaches and decision-makers remain responsible for the final call.
Samarjit Kaur is a journalist and communications professional covering technology & emerging digital trends. With a focus on clarity and context, she reports on developments shaping industries and governance. When not reporting, she chooses to plug-in and relax on her playlists and plan her next bucket-list trips!
