Days after releasing its AI-aided Inverse sneaker design, PUMA is further expanding upon its artificial intelligence experimentation in a new partnership with English football team Manchester City. In its latest initiative, the brand is inviting fans to submit designs for Manchester City's Third Kit for the 2026/27 season with the help of new generative AI tools.
At the heart of the process is an AI-driven platform called DEEPOBJECTS, whose innovative approach unlocks the potential of community co-creation. With the help of DEEPOBJECTS and Google Clou, the brand has unveiled the PUMA AI Creator, an interactive design tool that utilizes AI's generative capabilities with text prompting, along with a suite of customization tools and intuitive sliders. With the initiative, the partners aim to pave the way for more two-way collaboration between sports teams and their dedicated fan bases.
PUMA shared that participants will be granted 15 Credits and 2 Entries. Each design will cost 1 Credit and each design submission counts as 1 Entry. People will have the ability to rate other participants' kits to help PUMA and Manchester City shortlist the top ten designs. In January, the partners will allow users to vote on the final kit, which will be worn will be worn on the pitch.
Lately, PUMA seems to be at the forefront of the AI push among its sports gear competitors. The PUMA Inverse, recently released on December 7, was first conceived by generative AI tools that they used to reinterpret and iterate on the archival Inhale silhouette with new features.
On the AI-aided sneaker design, Lead Product Line Manager Scottie Gurwitz shared, "AI doesn’t abide by the same rules as human designers, and that can help us see things in new ways and be a good experimental tool for us as we move through the design process.”
As the democratization of generative AI increasingly spills over into the fashion industry, the opportunities for hyper-personalized product and brand-consumer dialogue endlessly challenge fixed notions of the design process. Head to PUMA AI Creator to try the new creative tool and submit your design by December 20.
Click here to view full gallery at Hypebeast
