Fitbit’s overhauled app and AI well being coach arrive tomorrow

Fitbit’s new Gemini-powered well being coach is debuting in preview tomorrow, as a part of a completely new app expertise that was introduced again in August. Premium subscribers within the US on Android may have entry to it first because it begins rolling out, with plans to increase to iOS “later this year,” in line with Taylor Helgren, Fitbit product supervisor.

The new well being coach is the muse for a completely rethought Fitbit app. Rather than bolting AI options onto the prevailing app, the well being coach is obtainable as an opt-in expertise wrapped up in a redesigned Fitbit app. It’s not characteristic full but — issues like diet and cycle monitoring are on the roadmap so as to add later — and individuals who choose in will have the ability to swap backwards and forwards between the brand new and common app each time they need.

Onboarding begins with a 5 to 10 minute chat with the AI coach (textual content or spoken), which is able to assist set up your objectives and what sort of suggestions the system will make for you. It’s all based mostly in your enter and Fitbit information — previous and current — and the well being coach shall be in a position type a weekly exercise plan for you based mostly on a library of workout routines obtainable within the app. It’ll take into consideration any gear you may have and what sort of coaching you wish to do — whether or not you need steering ramping as much as a 5K or constructing a energy coaching routine.

Once you’re arrange, the concept is that you just’ll use pure language to make changes and ask questions associated to your well being and health; conversations are tracked in a bit referred to as “coach’s notes.” If you’re coping with an harm or an unusually busy schedule, you possibly can let the coach know and it’ll make tweaks for you. It’s an unusually thorough integration of AI suggestions, which may typically really feel bolted on and spit out “Captain Obvious-level summaries” as my colleague and senior wearables reviewer Victoria Song places it.

There are some actual dangers to such a wide-ranging, AI-centric overhaul. Hallucinations could be an actual drawback, particularly contemplating that the well being coach is designed to discipline some medical questions in addition to subjects associated to health. Helgren says that the staff engaged with “internal and external clinicians and fitness experts” together with an advisory panel to construct a security framework for the coach. Importantly, it’s additionally designed to refer customers to well being care professionals when needed.

It’s an bold replace, and that is only a first step of what could also be a protracted highway to a full launch. Google says the well being coach shall be totally obtainable “next year,” although isn’t committing to any timeframe extra particular than that. You don’t have to personal a Pixel Watch to reap the benefits of the coach, both — it’ll work with Fitbit trackers and watches, together with potential “new Fitbit hardware,” which Fitbit’s head of product Andy Abramson teased as a part of “an exciting year” forward.

Correction October twenty seventh: The public preview launches tomorrow, Tuesday October twenty eighth. A earlier model of this text said that it launched on Monday the twenty seventh.

Update October twenty seventh: Added details about new Fitbit {hardware} coming within the subsequent 12 months.