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The AI has just been kicked out of the game.
Major League Baseball has effectively banned the use of iPads during games to access artificial intelligence tools, as well as the use of AI to shape game strategy.
Teams were installing custom apps that pushed the boundaries of technology guidelines as iPads were used “beyond their original purpose to include recommendations regarding substitutions, field calls and other in-game decisions traditionally made by players and coaches,” according to a memo from the commissioner’s office obtained by PK Press Club Digital.
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An iPad sits in the dugout during an MLB game between the Athletics and the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California on May 21, 2026. (Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The league’s memo regarding AI and iPads was issued June 11, with the ban going into full effect Wednesday before teams return to play following the All-Star break. According to The Athletic’s report, up to a third of the league’s players were using iPads for reasons beyond their intended use.
The league’s review of technology use found that no team violated MLB rules governing sign stealing and use of electronic devices.
“I have to stop the cheating before it happens now,” a front office official told The Athletic.
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Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge watch an iPad during a game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York on May 24, 2026. (Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
On MLB-issued iPads, there are three tabs: the first contains MLB-provided Statcast data and multiple video angles, the second contains data related to the Automated Ball-Striking System (ABS), and the third was a custom tab where teams installed apps. This third tab is now prohibited by the league.
Rules have been implemented to try to reduce the amount of live information entering iPads. Video of the game is only available with a delay and rules are posted at all clubs to prevent off-field personnel from entering the dugout.
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Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers checks an iPad in the dugout during the first inning against the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California on May 10, 2026. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
It’s unclear how many teams have used iPads to broadcast live game information, but the league’s decision to suspend the use of artificial intelligence now ensures that humans take the lead.
The Athletic was first to report AI restrictions on iPads.
