Google shares plans for Fitbit AI health chatbot that promises to provide personalized insights

Fitbit users can expect to get a smarter health and wellness experience later in 2024 with the launch of a new AI-powered health chatbot. The feature was announced at Google’s annual Check Up event and is part of Google’s broader push to integrate artificial intelligence tools into healthcare.

Fitbit Chatbot, launching later this year as part of Fitbit Labs, will use advanced artificial intelligence to analyze your health data and turn it into actionable insights. While most health tracking apps can display personalized insights based on charts and graphs, Google’s approach goes a step further. The Fitbit chatbot will analyze health data collected by Fitbit wearable devices and allow users to ask questions about their health in natural language.

According to Google, users will be able to use the chatbot as a personalized health coach, asking them about potential connections between different health metrics, such as sleep patterns and daily activity levels. AI will then analyze trends and provide insights, potentially revealing how better sleep coincides with increased activity, as shown in the example Google showed at the event.

While we don’t have details about what other features the chatbot will offer, we do know that initially, the chatbot will be rolled out to Fitbit Premium subscribers with Android devices signed up for the Fitbit Labs plan.

Google has also talked about developing a powerful artificial intelligence model called the Large Language Model (LLM) for personal health. The model is based on Google’s existing Gemini technology and will be explicitly fine-tuned for health and wellness. It is designed to analyze user data from Fitbit and Pixel devices to provide more comprehensive insights and personalized recommendations.

Ultimately, the Personal Health LLM aspires to become an on-demand health coach, providing actionable guidance to help users achieve their fitness goals. For example, imagine a chatbot suggesting adjustments to your workout routine based on recent sleep patterns.

Google’s health-focused AI is growing beyond Fitbit. Google is also working on a similar LL.M., called AMIE (Articulate Medical Intelligence Explorer), aimed at assisting medical professionals. AMIE is being tested to see how it can support clinical conversations and help with tasks such as diagnosis and patient communication.