MLB bans generative AI on dugout iPads July 15 2026

Major League Baseball has moved to prohibit the use of generative artificial intelligence on league-issued iPads in team dugouts, a midseason policy shift aimed at curbing the real-time influence of software on in-game strategy. The ban, which took full effect on July 15, 2026, as play resumed following the All-Star break, specifically targets custom applications that teams had installed to generate recommendations for pitch-calling, substitutions, and other tactical decisions.

According to a memo from the commissioner’s office dated June 11, the league determined that a significant number of clubs had pushed the iPads beyond their intended purpose of reviewing performance data and video. Sources familiar with the situation indicated that as many as one-third of MLB’s 30 teams had been using the devices for at least one of these AI-assisted functions. The practice was believed to have been pioneered by the Miami Marlins this season before spreading to several other clubs.

The league’s internal review concluded that no teams violated existing rules governing sign-stealing or electronic device usage, so no disciplinary action is expected. Instead, the focus has been on tightening...