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Manchester City and Puma put AI-designed kits in fans’ hands

Manchester City and Puma 2026/2027 Third Kit, UK

UK – Manchester City FC and Puma are giving fans a say in the club’s official 2026/2027 Third Kit, launching a global vote on 10 AI-generated designs. The shortlisted kits were selected from 180,000 fan submissions using Puma’s AI Creator tool, which allows supporters to experiment with text prompts and customisation features.

‘It’s been so exciting to allow fans to design their dream City kit thanks to the power of AI, and we’ve been blown away by the levels of participation,’ said Serena Gosling, Manchester City’s director of integrated fan experience and retail and licensing. The winning fan-designed kit will be unveiled in summer 2026.

In another first, City’s goalkeepers wore an AI-designed kit on 25 January 2025, co-created by players Ederson, Stefan Ortega and Rico Lewis using Puma's AI Creator. This limited-edition shirt will be available exclusively at City stores.

Puma’s AI Creator campaign highlights a growing shift towards interactive, fan-driven design, merging technology with football culture. Our World Retail Congress 2024: Community Commerce report unpacked how inviting your audience to actively participate in the design process helps build a strong community around your brand.

Strategic opportunity

Empowering fans to co-create products builds deeper brand engagement, turning consumers into invested community members. How can you use generative AI tools to unlock new creative possibilities and encourage brand loyalty through personalised, participatory brand experiences?

Nike launches After Dark Tour to empower women runners

Global – Nike is expanding its commitment to women’s sport with the launch of the After Dark Tour, a global night-time race series designed to celebrate and empower female runners. The initiative will bring 10K and half-marathon events to six major cities – Los Angeles, Mexico City, Mumbai, Seoul, Shanghai and Sydney – between April and June 2025.

More than just a race, the After Dark Tour offers a holistic training journey. Runners can access official training plans via the Nike Run Club app, featuring expert guidance from Nike Run coach Diljeet Taylor. The programme includes locally run club meetings, community events and digital coaching, ensuring participants feel supported from the starting blocks to the finish line.

‘We’re creating a space where women runners feel welcome and empowered,’ says Seema Simmons, vice-president of the global women’s running and training division at Nike. ‘The After Dark Tour is about more than crossing a finishing line – it’s about joining a community that uplifts you.’

Kicking off in Sydney on 12 April and concluding in Mexico City on 21 June, the tour embodies Nike’s mission to inspire women to embrace running as a life-long passion.

Explore our Game-Changers: The Future of Sports Fandom macrotrend report and Future Forecast 2025: Sports, Health & Wellness Female Sports Rising section to better understand this new era of female fandom and the increasing influence of women in sports.

Nike After Dark Tour 2025

Strategic opportunity

Nike’s race isn’t just about running – it’s about building a movement. How can your brand create brand-affiliated sports communities, local activations and grassroots initiatives that bring women together?

Stat: US teens double use of ChatGPT for schoolwork

CoLab by Pearson Lloyd, UK

US – More than a quarter (26%) of US teenagers now use ChatGPT for schoolwork, doubling from 13% in 2023, according to a Pew Research Center survey. While most teens (73%) have yet to embrace the chatbot in their studies, its use is growing across demographics.

Black and Hispanic teens (31% each) are more likely than white teens (22%) to turn to ChatGPT for schoolwork – a shift from 2023, when usage was nearly equal across racial groups. Older students are also leading the trend, with 31% of 11th- and 12th-graders using the tool, compared to 20% of younger students.

Despite its increasing adoption, attitudes to ChatGPT’s role in education remain mixed. While 54% of teens believe it is acceptable for research, only 18% approve of using it to write essays. Overall awareness of the chatbot has also risen, with 79% of teens now familiar with ChatGPT, up from 67% in 2023.

In our Neo-education Market report, we analysed how, with Gen Alpha at prime schooling age, we are witnessing rapid change in education systems, from AI-powered learning to culturally nuanced curriculums.

Strategic opportunity

Consider developing AI-driven tutoring platforms, homework assistants or personalised learning apps that cater for different learning styles and subjects. With teens already engaging with ChatGPT, there is a demand for tools that provide structured, ethical and curriculum-aligned support