The role of AI in helping fitness apps become more transformative and adaptive

Abhay Pai, CTO, StepSetGo highlights that technology had already penetrated the fitness sector before the lockdown; however, the aftermath of the pandemic was such that players in this industry rapidly leveraged modern tools like Artificial Intelligence (AI) to make fitness-from-home more effective, immersive, transformative and adaptive

“Health is wealth” is an age-old maxim that generations have been familiar with. If you look back a couple of years, you will find reports that suggest that only 20-30 per cent of the world’s population had healthy habits apart from walking; whereas 70 per cent of individuals inclined towards a more sedentary lifestyle, which entailed almost no exercise. However, the virus outbreak over the last 2 years underscored the importance of health and fitness instigating many to switch sides for the sake of their overall well-being. People became more watchful of their diet and increasingly included physical activity in their daily routine.

While the masses wanted to adopt healthy lifestyle practices, governments across the globe put restrictions on the operation of gyms, training centres, parks, pools and other such places where one could go and kick-start their fitness journey. Did this mean that the world of health and workouts came to a standstill? Not at all! People shifted to home exercise routines and started taking the help of fitness apps. Technology had already penetrated the fitness sector before the lockdown; however, the aftermath of the pandemic was such that players in this industry rapidly leveraged modern tools like Artificial Intelligence (AI) to make fitness-from-home more effective, immersive, transformative and adaptive. Let’s take a look at how disruptive technological solutions have changed the face of fitness –

AI-based fitness trainers

Even in the era of online gyms, getting a personal trainer can be expensive. While working out from home, it is critical to have an expert watch over your positions and postures to ensure that you are carrying out each form correctly. After all, incorrect exercise can cause you more harm than good.  Several fitness apps have used technology to create AI trainers who work like real-life coaches by giving constant feedback on every posture or move. They even provide specific directions like – “Put more pressure on your left leg”. The introduction of human pose estimation technology has made the idea of such fitness trainers more realistic and efficient. This technology uses three analytical tools – skeleton modeling, contours modeling and modeling volume to derive accurate information regarding your posture and style during the workout.

AI-based tracking

Most fitness apps are capitalizing on AI to provide users with the features like tracking various health parameters. By simply downloading an app on your phone, you can easily keep a check on the number of steps walked, calories burned, heart rate, and stress level, among other things. We live in a fast-paced world, and finding the time to specially check these parameters daily is close to impossible. The new-age fitness apps make health a convenience by keeping a tab of your body’s critical counts. Some apps even send reminders like time to drink water, take a break from the screen, or do a quick exercise while sitting on their work desk.

AI-backed diet planning

Only exercise and workouts will not help you achieve your fitness goals. It is imperative to couple your workouts with well-balanced meals. A wholesome diet that meets all your nutritional requirements is non-negotiable. Fitness apps are striving to create an ecosystem, which fulfills both the physical and dietary needs of users. With AI-based apps, you can take a picture of your plate, upload it, and within seconds receive all the nutritional details about your meal. These apps even analyze your diet and suggest improvements based on your eating patterns.

According to a recent study, the global AI market is expected to grow at a doubling rate and reach a valuation of USD 99.94 billion by 2023. With such predictions coming to light and the consistently rising health consciousness, it is just a matter of time when fitness apps will become a one-stop-shop for your end-to-end healthcare needs.