An overhauled Fitbit and AI health coach arrives tomorrow

Fitbit’s new Gemini-powered health coach It will debut in preview tomorrowas part of a completely new app experience Announced back in August. US Premium subscribers on Android will be able to access it first when it rolls out, with plans to expand to iOS “later this year,” according to Taylor Helgren, Fitbit’s product manager.

The new Health Coach is the foundation of the completely redesigned Fitbit app. Instead of integrating AI features into the existing app, the health coach is offered as an optional experience wrapped in the redesigned Fitbit app. The features aren’t complete yet — things like nutrition and cycle tracking are on the roadmap to be added later — and people who sign up will be able to switch back and forth between the new and regular app whenever they want.

Onboarding begins with a five- to 10-minute conversation with an AI coach (text or spoken), which will help define your goals and what type of recommendations the system will give you. It’s all based on your input and Fitbit data — past and present — and a health coach will be able to shape a weekly workout plan for you based on the library of exercises available in the app. It will take into account any equipment you have and the type of training you want to do – whether you want to step up to a 5K or build a strength training routine.

Once you’re set up, the idea is that you’ll use natural language to make adjustments and ask questions related to your health and fitness; Conversations are tracked in a section called “Coach Notes.” If you’re dealing with an injury or an unusually busy schedule, you can let your coach know and he or she will make adjustments for you. It’s an unusually comprehensive integration of AI recommendations, which can often feel tacked on and broadcast “captain obvious-level summaries” as my colleague and chief wearables reviewer, Victoria Song, says.

There are some real risks to such an AI-focused overhaul. Hallucinations will be a real problem, especially since the health coach is designed to answer some medical questions as well as fitness-related topics. Hellgren says the team worked with “internal and external physicians and fitness experts” along with an advisory committee to build a safety framework for the coach. Importantly, it is also designed to refer users to healthcare professionals when necessary.

It’s an ambitious update, and this is just the first step in what could be a long road to full launch. Google says the health coach will be fully available “next year,” though it hasn’t committed to any more specific time frame than that. You don’t need to own a Pixel Watch to take advantage of the trainer either — it will work with Fitbit trackers and watches, including potential “new Fitbit devices,” which Fitbit product chief Andy Abramson has teased as part of an “exciting year” ahead.

October 27 correction: The public preview will launch tomorrow, Tuesday, October 28th. A previous version of this article stated that it was launched on Monday 27th.

October 27 update: Added information about new Fitbit devices coming next year.