Xiaomi's AI-Powered Golf Booking Platform: A Strategic Move into Sports and Facility Management

Xiaomi, the Chinese tech giant best known for its smartphones and electric vehicles (EVs), has announced a bold expansion into the sports and facility management sector with the launch of its AI-driven golf booking platform. The service, integrated into the Mi Home app, promises to transform how users access golf courses, leveraging artificial intelligence to optimize tee times, recommend courses, and even offset carbon emissions. This move underscores Xiaomi’s ambition to diversify beyond hardware and into high-margin digital services—a strategy that could redefine its growth trajectory.

The Golf Platform: A Seamless AI Experience

The platform, launched in April 2025 and fully operational by June, offers a suite of features designed to streamline the golf experience. Users can book tee times in real time, receive personalized course recommendations based on their preferences, and track dynamic pricing. A “Waitlist” function allows instant access to canceled bookings, while a “Sustainability Initiative” lets users offset emissions from their rounds through partnerships with environmental nonprofits. The premium “Mi Golf Pro Pass” tier provides exclusive benefits, such as early tee times and equipment discounts, targeting affluent golfers.

The platform’s AI algorithm is trained on historical booking data, weather patterns, and user feedback to minimize wait times and enhance accessibility. By June 2025, it had partnered with over 500 golf courses globally, including 300 in China and 200 in international markets like the U.S. and Europe. Xiaomi also introduced a “Social Matchmaking” feature, using its ecosystem of wearable devices to connect users for group games and track performance metrics.

Strategic Implications: Beyond Hardware, Toward Services

Xiaomi’s foray into sports management is part of a broader shift toward leveraging its AI and IoT capabilities to create recurring revenue streams. The company’s EV division, which generated ¥32.1 billion in revenue in 2024, has already demonstrated its ability to innovate in high-tech markets. The golf platform extends this logic to the $100 billion global sports tech market, where companies like Ticketmaster and GolfNow dominate, but AI-driven personalization remains underpenetrated.

By integrating the platform into its existing Mi Home ecosystem—used by over 100 million monthly active users—Xiaomi can cross-subsidize growth. For instance, golfers who book through the app might also purchase Xiaomi’s wearable devices to track their swings or sync with smart home systems. The carbon offset feature aligns with China’s “dual carbon” goals, potentially positioning Xiaomi as a leader in sustainable tech.

Financial Considerations and Risks

The golf platform’s success hinges on user adoption and monetization. Xiaomi’s $5.5 billion EV fundraising in 2024 and its 2025 R&D budget of ¥30 billion (with ¥7-8 billion allocated to AI) suggest ample resources for scaling. However, the company faces competition from established players like Troon, which already manages 200+ courses globally, and tech giants like Google, which owns GolfNow.

Regulatory risks are also present. The platform’s data collection—particularly in Europe, where GDPR compliance is mandatory—must be rigorously managed. Additionally, the golf industry’s reliance on affluent consumers may limit mass-market appeal, though Xiaomi’s focus on Tier-1 cities and resort destinations could mitigate this.

Conclusion: A Diversification Play with Long-Term Potential

Xiaomi’s AI golf platform is more than a niche service—it’s a strategic bet on the convergence of AI, IoT, and premium lifestyle services. With plans to expand into tennis and country club bookings by 2026, the company aims to carve out a new revenue stream while reinforcing its brand as an ecosystem innovator.

The platform’s 30-day free trial, multilingual support, and partnerships with Troon and Iberian Golf Courses indicate a well-planned rollout. If successful, it could replicate the growth trajectory of its EV division, which saw sales surge to 350,000 units in 2025 despite industry-wide supply chain challenges.

Investors should monitor adoption metrics, such as active users and Pro Pass uptake, alongside EV sales and AI R&D efficiency. While risks exist, Xiaomi’s deep pockets and ecosystem scale give it a unique advantage in this space. For now, the platform represents a promising step toward a future where Xiaomi’s value isn’t just in the devices it sells, but the seamless experiences it delivers.

In conclusion, Xiaomi’s move into sports management is a calculated expansion that leverages its core strengths while targeting a high-potential market. Whether it achieves the same success as its EV division remains to be seen, but the ambition is clear: to become a tech conglomerate as influential off the factory floor as it is on it.