Manchester City, the English Premier League football club, is taking a bold step into the world of artificial intelligence by allowing fans to design its next kit using AI technology. In a unique competition, fans can generate their own kit designs using a text-to-image uniform generator powered by DeepObjects, an AI company.

The partnership with Puma, the club's kit manufacturer, enables fans to create their own designs, which will then be voted on by the public and a panel of experts from Manchester City and Puma. The winning design will be worn by the players as the official third kit during the 2026-2027 season and will also be available for fans to purchase.

To participate in the competition, fans need to create an account and enter a prompt that describes the look they're going for. They can then choose a style for the AI to use when generating their design, such as "abstract," "emotive brushstrokes," or "dream visions." The Puma AI Creator will then generate four different design options, which can be customized with collars, trim colors, and badges.

Each fan gets 15 credits to create designs, with one credit used per design. However, they can only enter two of their creations into the contest, which ends on December 20th. The winner will be determined by fan ratings and expert opinions from Manchester City and Puma.

This innovative initiative is not the first time Manchester City has explored AI-generated designs. The club's players, Ederson, Stefan Ortega, and Rico Lewis, have already used the Puma AI Creator to design a goalkeeper kit "creatively inspired by the net of a football goal." This kit will be the first AI-generated soccer uniform to be worn on the pitch, according to the club.

The announcement comes at an interesting time for Manchester City, which is currently facing a poor run of form and awaiting the verdict of an investigation into breaching Premier League financial rules. Despite these challenges, the club's foray into AI-powered kit design demonstrates its commitment to innovation and fan engagement.

This move also highlights the growing intersection of sports, entertainment, and artificial intelligence. As AI technology continues to advance, we can expect to see more collaborations between sports teams, brands, and AI companies, leading to new and exciting experiences for fans.

For Manchester City, this competition not only provides a unique opportunity for fan engagement but also offers a chance to tap into the creative potential of its supporters. With the winning design set to be worn on the pitch, the stakes are high, and fans will undoubtedly be eager to see their creations come to life.

As the world of sports and entertainment continues to evolve, initiatives like this one demonstrate the power of technology to transform the fan experience and push the boundaries of innovation.