MLB cracks down on using AI via dugout iPads to help shape in-game decisions

Major League Baseball has implemented a crackdown on the use of generative AI within team dugouts. According to coverage from The New York Times, ESPN, and NBC Sports, the league has moved to restrict or outlaw the use of dugout iPads specifically when they are used to access AI-powered tools to help shape in-game decisions. This regulatory move targets the use of technology to assist with real-time strategy, effectively closing a loophole that several teams had reportedly been utilizing to gain a competitive advantage during active play. Multiple outlets, including Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report, highlight that this ban follows an alert involving Ottavino.

The New York Post specifically identifies the Mets as one of the teams that utilized the AI loophole via dugout iPads before the league intervened. Furthermore, Yardbarker reports that a former Mets pitcher has claimed the team employed an expensive AI program specifically to call pitches, suggesting a high level of integration between the technology and on-field execution prior to the official restriction. Context provided by Engadget and Seattle Sports emphasizes that the focus of the ban is on the intersection of portable hardware and generative AI. While iPads have been common in dugouts, the specific application of AI for in-game strategy calls is what triggered the league's response.

Looking ahead, the league will be monitoring compliance with these new restrictions on dugout hardware. Coverage from couriernews.com and other sports networks suggests that the focus will remain on how teams access data in real-time. The industry is currently observing how the ban on generative AI will be enforced and whether other forms of assistive technology will also face scrutiny following the reports of expensive AI programs being used for pitch calling.