Virat Kohli has been unveiled as the face of Oakley Meta Performance AI glasses in India, with Oakley and Meta positioning the collaboration around the growing role of data-driven technology in elite sport. The partnership, announced during the IPL window, focuses on integrating AI-powered wearables into an athlete’s routine, combining performance insights with hands-free content capture to enhance both training and storytelling.
The campaign will centre on first-person perspectives from Kohli’s environment, including training sessions, match preparation and behind-the-scenes moments, offering audiences a closer look at how technology can intersect with high-performance sport. The glasses are designed to provide real-time insights while allowing seamless recording and sharing, creating a continuous feedback loop between performance and analysis.
Kohli, who has amassed over 28,000 international runs across formats along with 85 centuries — the second-most in international cricket — and holds the record for 54 ODI centuries, brings both performance pedigree and global influence to the campaign. His involvement reflects a broader shift toward athletes engaging with technology not just as users but as central figures in product storytelling and development.
Brand vision and athlete alignment
Positioning the collaboration within Oakley’s broader performance narrative, Corey Hill, Head of Global Sports Marketing at Oakley, emphasised how the partnership aligns with the brand’s long-standing focus on innovation in sport. He said in an official statement, “Sport is constantly evolving, and so is the way athletes understand and elevate their performance. At Oakley, we’ve always been focused on pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, and with Meta, we’re bringing a new dimension to that vision. Virat Kohli embodies the mindset we build for: focused, driven and always pushing limits. And that’s exactly where this product belongs.”
Technology integration and performance insights
From a technology standpoint, the collaboration reflects Meta’s push to embed AI more deeply into real-world use cases, particularly in high-performance environments. Sandhya Devanathan, Vice President India and South East Asia at Meta, outlined how the product is designed to balance instinct with data-driven awareness in training scenarios. She said in an official statement, “Performance has always been a balance of instinct and awareness, and increasingly that is being shaped by data. With Oakley Meta performance AI glasses, we are exploring what Athletic Intelligence can look like in practice, where timely insights and lightweight assistance come together in a way that supports how athletes train and stay focused. Our collaboration with Virat Kohli reflects how technology can fit naturally into an athlete’s routine, helping them stay present while continuing to learn from every session and every personal record they work towards.”
Athlete perspective and practical application
For Kohli, the integration of AI into training is framed as an extension of his long-standing approach to refining performance through awareness and repetition. He said, “I have always relied on instinct, but also on understanding my game better over time. What I find useful about Oakley Meta performance AI glasses is that they add small layers of insight without getting in the way. Whether it is staying focused during training or enhancing on-field awareness, it helps build consistency over time. Over time, that can make a difference when you are working towards your next personal record.”
The campaign is set to roll out in phases across digital platforms, combining athlete-led content with AI-enabled storytelling formats that highlight both performance data and day-to-day preparation. As wearable technology continues to evolve, the collaboration signals a growing convergence between sport, data, and content, with Kohli positioned at the centre of that intersection in the Indian market.
