Utopai partners with ex-basketball player Carmelo Anthony’s prodco Creative 7

Carmelo Anthony (photo: Jonesworks) and Asani Swann

California-based Utopai Studios has signed a strategic deal with former basketballer player Carmelo Anthony and his production company, Creative 7.

The partnership is aimed at expanding Utopai’s work with professional athletes and developing sports-focused entertainment IP using its proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) storytelling platform, PAI.

Through the deal, Anthony and Creative 7 co-founder Asani Swann will work with Utopai Studios on original projects spanning film, TV, streaming and digital platforms.

The agreement builds on Utopai Studios’ recent work in sports entertainment, including a previously announced AI-animated project with current basketball player James Harden.

One of the first projects under the new partnership will be an anime-inspired property based on Anthony’s career and the culture surrounding basketball. The initial release is expected to include a shortform series and behind-the-scenes content tied to Anthony’s involvement.

Utopai Studios said its PAI platform is designed to support multiple stages of production, including development, visualisation, editing, localisation and delivery. The company is positioning the technology as an AI-native production system built for professional entertainment workflows.

“Sports has always been grounded in real human stories that can translate to powerful entertainment IP, but bringing those stories to life hasn’t always been easy. PAI changes that,” said Anthony. “It gives us a more accessible way to create and build something with long-term value.”

“Carmelo and Asani immediately understood that this is bigger than using AI to make content faster,” added Utopai Studios co-founder and CEO Cecilia Shen.

“We are building a new studio system for the AI era, one that gives creators, athletes and talent a more direct path to develop original IP while preserving authorship, ownership and creative control. With Creative 7 and PAI, we can help turn powerful athlete-driven stories into entertainment properties built for film, television, streaming, animation and digital audiences.”