HCLTech, Microsoft to enhance user experience with GenAI for Cricket Australia

Global technology leaders HCLTech and Microsoft have teamed up with Cricket Australia (CA) to utilise generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) to transform how fans engage with live matches through the Cricket Australia Live app.

The newly introduced AI Insights matchday companion feature offers fans a continuous stream of text-based updates during matches. This feature harnesses AI with a deep understanding of cricket to highlight key narratives, player performances, and significant milestones, providing richer context beyond live scores and commentary.

The AI Insights matchday companion coinciding with the CommBank Women's Ashes series between Australia and England. This feature is now available to all Cricket Australia Live app users globally.

“By harnessing the power of GenAI, we can redefine how fans engage with sports,” said Sonia Eland, Executive Vice President and Country Manager for Australia and New Zealand at HCLTech. “Our long-standing partnership with Cricket Australia as the sport’s Official Digital Technology Partner, combined with our collaboration with Microsoft, will significantly enhance the digital experience, ultimately bringing cricket fans closer to the action.”

Cricket Australia has employed Microsoft’s Azure Open AI Service along with HCLTech’s front-end and API development expertise to create a more accessible matchday AI companion for cricket enthusiasts.

Sarah Carney, Chief Technology Officer at Microsoft Australia and New Zealand, said, “This innovation showcases how generative AI is transforming our interactions, providing insights, meaning, and personalisation for both new and existing audiences.”

HCLTech and Cricket Australia first joined forces in 2019 to revamp the organisation’s core API platforms. In 2023, they extended their partnership for an additional five years, with HCLTech continuing its role as CA’s Official Digital Technology Partner.

Their multi-year collaboration has included initiatives like TechJam, a crowdsourcing effort to develop innovative tech solutions for the sport, and has played a key role in establishing Cricket Australia Live as the number one sporting app in Australia.

Nick Hockley, CEO of Cricket Australia, said, “Our goal is to be a world leader in how sporting codes engage fans through digital technologies, and we are excited to launch this latest innovation during the CommBank Women's Ashes Day-Night Test.”