MLB players enter into contracts to be turned into AI characters

NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball players have agreed to let a tech company create AI characters of themselves that can chat and interact with fans.

Under an agreement announced Thursday between Genies and MLB Players Inc., the players’ association’s business partnership, AI avatars of top stars will be created that can have conversations with fans. Each avatar reflects a player’s voice and interests.

Genies will have the ability to charge for chat interactions, in-app experiences, and digital goods.

The company could not say which players will initially be available as avatars.