Mastercard Uses AI to Create Transit-Length Tales, Turning Commutes Into Storytime

Mastercard has introduced Transit Tales, a new digital experience designed to make commuting more entertaining for Sydneysiders.

Built for mobile and tablet, Transit Tales uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology and real-time transit data to create personalised audio stories matched to the exact duration of a commuter’s train journey. Accessible at no cost, Transit Tales is now available to over 1.2 million daily travellers.

The experience invites commuters to select from a series of beloved literary classics, including The Great Gatsby, The Jungle Book, Romeo & Juliet, The Wizard of Oz, and Dracula and reimagine them through alternate genres such as Mystery Thriller, Superhero Saga, Dystopian Adventure or Sci-Fi Fantasy. Each journey produces a unique AI-generated narration based on the user's route, genre and length of journey.

All stories are also available in transcript format, to be inclusive and accessible for everyone. Once a trip is complete, commuters can purchase the original books in audio, hard or soft copy via online retail platforms.

Launched as part of Mastercard’s global Tap, Go, Play urban mobility campaign, Transit Tales demonstrates Mastercard’s ongoing commitment to creating inclusive, multi-sensory brand experiences, and is a reminder that even the most routine journeys can be priceless.

Florencia Aimo, vice president, integrated marketing and communications, Australasia, Mastercard, said, “Transit Tales is about bringing a little more joy and imagination to an everyday routine. It showcases how Mastercard continues to innovate with purpose, creating inclusive, digital experiences that make people’s lives easier and more enjoyable.”

Shane Geffen, executive creative director at McCann Australia, said, “There’s been a lot of talk about AI and creativity. We couldn’t think of a better way to harness it than by turning mundane train rides into imaginative escapes. It’s a highly technical project but made simple thanks to Mastercard’s openness to innovation and our brilliant production partners.”

Running until September 28th 2025, the campaign will be live across Sydney’s train and metro network, supported by out-of-home, digital, and social activations. Transit Tales was developed by McCann, with digital production by Nakatomi, sound design by Rumble Studios, earned media social and content creator engagement by Ogilvy PR, and media by Carat.