What is Fitbit Labs?

Main points

• Fitbit Labs will provide personalized AI health coaching.
• The software will be powered by Google Personal Health LLM.
• Google expects to open Fitbit Labs Hub testing to Fitbit Premium users later this year.

The use of artificial intelligence is permeating many industries, including health and fitness. Fitbit was one of the first companies to apply artificial intelligence technology to fitness trackers. The Google-owned company is developing something called “Fitbit Labs Hub,” which is expected to be available to Fitbit Premium users for testing later this year. Fitbit Premium users will be able to test AI fitness coaches and provide feedback to inform further developments in future Fitbit Labs launches.

What is Fitbit Labs?

Personalized artificial intelligence health guidance

So, what is the Fitbit Labs Hub? What will Fitbit Labs Hub AI coaching do? Since Fitbit Labs is still in the development stage, there isn’t much concrete information yet about the functionality and features that Fitbit Premium users can expect from the Fitbit Labs Hub.

Designed to act as a personal trainer or personal fitness coach, Fitbit Labs can analyze your Fitbit data in real time and provide answers to your questions, just like you’re talking to a real trainer.

That said, Google provided more information about the Fitbit Labs Hub during its recent The Checkup 2024 presentation, including details on the various ways AI can be integrated into programs across the Google portfolio. One of Fitbit Labs’ main features is a chatbot that allows users to ask questions about Fitbit metrics or general health. Google is training the software to engage in informative, conversational interactions with people, discussing their Fitbit data and answering questions to provide “actionable information and guidance.”

In addition to written responses, the AI ​​coach will generate charts or graphs based on your questions and your Fitbit data history to help provide visual support for the information you requested. Essentially, Fitbit Labs is designed to act as a personal trainer or personal fitness coach, analyzing your Fitbit data in real time and providing answers to your questions, just like you’re talking to a real trainer.

Fitbit Premium already provides feedback based on your sleep, activity levels, and other health and fitness metrics, but all of this guidance is general. Fitbit Labs aims to use artificial intelligence to provide personalized support and personalized guidance to better help each unique Fitbit user achieve their health and fitness goals.

A Fitbit spokesperson provided an example where her Fitbit might record that she had an optimal sleep score (a combination of sleep quantity, quality, and recovery) after chasing her kids all day. Then, after analyzing normal sleep patterns and exercise habits, the Fitbit AI Coach will be able to provide suggestions and recommendations that can help improve future sleep quality. In this case, the Fitbit LLM might notice that when she’s more active (more active zone minutes per day per Fitbit tracking system), she gets more deep sleep and more full sleep. This is a simple example that may be more intuitive than some of the potential insights that AI models can provide.

How does Fitbit Labs work?

Powered by Google Personal Health LLM

Fitbit Labs is powered by the new Personal Health Large Language Model (LLM) from Fitbit and Google Research. The LLM is built on the Gemini model, which, according to Fitbit representatives, is “fine-tuned based on a de-identified, diverse set of health signals derived from high-quality research case studies”. Fitbit has reportedly partnered with doctors, health experts, certified fitness coaches, sleep coaches, and other professionals to conduct various studies on the accuracy and effectiveness of Fitbit Labs’ AI coaching.

For example, Fitbit revealed that it has conducted tests to compare the performance of the Fitbit Google LLM to the practical tests used to obtain sleep medicine certification, noting that the AI ​​fitness coaching model, although still in development, has performed well.

Fitbit LLM is part of the same model that will power future artificial intelligence capabilities across all Google apps and features.

When can I try Fitbit Labs Hub?

Android testing possible later this year

Fitbit has not yet provided a date for releasing the AI ​​feature. As of now, the company says Fitbit Labs will be available “later this year” to a “limited number of Android users who sign up for the Fitbit Labs program in the Fitbit mobile app.”

There’s no word yet on when Apple or iPhone users can expect to test Fitbit Labs and coaching. However, since Fitbit is part of Google’s product portfolio, Apple iOS users may have to wait longer to get AI features in the Fitbit Apple app.