How Fantasy Sports Can Drive India’s AI Revolution

A new and important report suggests that including sports in India’s AI plans could greatly help the country’s progress in artificial intelligence. The paper, called “Fantasy Sports as a Catalyst for India’s AI Revolution in Sports,” was written by Professor Vishal Misra from Columbia University and shared at the World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025.

The report sees sports, particularly fantasy sports like Dream11, as a big chance to grow AI skills and talent in India. The country aims to boost its economy by $500 billion by 2025 through AI. Right now, the IndiaAI Mission mainly focuses on areas like healthcare, farming, and smart cities, but this report argues that sports should also be included for even greater benefits.

Some key ideas from the report include creating a national sports data hub, starting AI innovation centers for sports, and offering special courses at universities. Fantasy sports platforms already have millions of users and generate a lot of data, which could be used to train new AI models.

With AI expected to contribute 15% to India’s economy by 2030, the report urges leaders to see sports not just as fun but as a smart way to advance technology. Professor Misra stated, “Fantasy sports are more than just a game; they can help us improve AI in India. By using sports data, we can train young talent and develop useful tools for athlete performance and fan experiences. The FIFS Sports Data Gameathon demonstrated how fantasy sports can spark AI innovations that benefit everyone, not just top teams.”