Google just proved that AI is the future of fitness tracking

OPINION: Whether you like it or not, AI isn’t going away anytime soon. Yesterday’s Google event was a testament to AI’s staying power as the company was keen to show off how the technology will be implemented in both the new Pixel 8 range and the Pixel Watch 2. While there’s plenty to be concerned about Google’s use of AI when it comes to photography, I think that it’s a winner in the realm of fitness tracking.

During the Pixel Watch 2 segment of its presentation, Google announced that an AI chatbot would be coming soon to the Fitbit app (after some real world testing). This AI coach was shown to analyse the results of an outdoor run and explain how recent trends in the user’s sleeping patterns led to said workout being tougher than usual.

The chatbot then went on to mention that a higher degree of elevation during that run also played a factor, and suggested a period of recovery to help mitigate any further stress on the body. This kind of insight, that can break down complex metrics which, let’s face it, go over the heads of most smartwatch users (myself included), is nothing short of incredible.

Until now, hiring a personal trainer was really the only way to gain this level of insight, but that’s an expense that most people simply can’t afford. Fitness trackers and smartwatches have long been a more accessible way of taking more active steps towards monitoring your health, but aside from a few companies like Fitbit and Huawei that actually break down what the data means, a lot of that information has just gone unused.

From what Google depicted, it seems as though AI can bridge the gap of turning that data into actionable steps, and if the whole thing proves to be as coherent as it seems then you can fully expect this to change the landscape of wearables as we know it.

You can see as much from the fact that Google isn’t even the first company to jump aboard this bandwagon – Whoop recently added a similar generative AI-based coach into its app. From the short time I’ve had to play around with it, I’m already impressed with what it’s been able to offer.

For instance, I enjoy weightlifting and running so I asked the app if there were any workouts that I should consider adding to my routine. Because of my logged workout history, the chatbot knew instantly which exercises would suit me best and suggested yoga and pilates to help me with stretching and core strength, before sharing an article that went further in-depth into the benefits of these exercises. This is an absolute game changer and a feature I’ll be using constantly from here on out.

Whether you’re someone like me who needs long-term advice or a beginner trying to understand the best first steps towards a healthier lifestyle, I can see this technology being used by everyone, and it’ll only be a matter of time before we see it brought over to more mainstream wearables like the Apple Watch.