How AI-powered wearables and apps are changing fitness workouts

Open any fitness app, and chances are that it might surprise the user with a recommendation to skip the day's high-intensity interval training (HIIT) session due to inadequate recovery.

What's more, with a fitness band strapped on, a user could receive prompts for rest, fatigue, or alerts to adjust the running pace mid-stride based on real-time data.

The driver? Artificial Intelligence (AI) of course.

It is 2025 and AI-powered coaching has been seamlessly woven into everyday fitness.

What used to be a bonus feature—step counters and calorie logs—has now evolved into a system that monitors biometrics and actively influences the way people train.

Valued at over USD 62 billion by Fortune Business Insights in 2024, the fitness tech market has duly exploded.

And AI fitness tools are no longer novelty—they are gradually becoming the norm.

But is all this technology genuinely improving workouts, or is it simply the repackaging of tracking, courtesy smarter visuals?

Passive trackers to adaptive coaches

The early days of basic step tracking are long gone. Today, AI is powering apps and devices that adapt to your body and behaviours in real time.

Apps like Freeletics use Bayesian optimisation to create workout plans that shift based on how you perform. Fitbod, leveraging reinforcement learning, adjusts the user's strength training sessions over time using past workout data, fatigue signals, and progress trends.

In effect, these apps are trying to replicate what a human coach does: understand the limits of a user and take them past it in a safe manner.

Also, wearables have graduated from counting steps to interpreting stress, sleep, and cardiovascular load.

Garmin’s Training Status tracks long-term progress and physiological readiness. The Apple Watch, validated against ECG-level accuracy, reliably captures heart rate variability (HRV) and rest patterns.

Similarly, the Oura Ring Gen3 combines temperature, HRV, and sleep data to generate readiness scores that guide users on whether to train or recover.

And the products do not stop at just tracking.

Tempo Move uses 3D motion capture to correct a person's form as they work out. And the Peloton Guide provides real-time rep counting and feedback using AI motion tracking. Even startups in India such as Athlex are deploying camera-based fitness assessments to test fitness without a live trainer.

While these developments are fascinating, one must ask the question about precision.

Evolved, but not perfect

What these tools offer isn't just convenience—it is a paradigm shift in how people approach fitness.

Instead of guessing whether a user is too tired to train, AI reviews recovery data and educates a person. Instead of repeating the same static plan, it adapts to an individual's performance.

In effect, this is personalised fitness at scale—training plans built not just on goals, but on daily physiological feedback. It brings elite-level insight to recreational athletes and weekend warriors alike.

But the technology isn’t perfect.

Despite its precision, AI cannot understand the emotional, psychological, or contextual aspects of human life.

It does not read if an individual is burnt out physically or emotionally drained, or struggling for motivation. Also, it will not encourage a user to push through a tough day, or recognise when a person needs a break based on their expression, body language, or mood.

The same goes for biological nuance.

A 2023 Nature Digital Medicine review found no wearable device reliably detects hormonal fluctuations, pregnancy, or chronic stress. And during high-intensity training, optical heart rate sensors often underperform due to motion artefacts.

When data is unreliable or inaccurate, the AI-driven plan is too.

And it is worth noting: not all AI is actually AI.

A 2024 Wired investigation revealed many fitness apps that claimed to be 'adaptive' simply recycled static plans, applying a user’s name to them for personalisation.

MyFitnessPal’s so-called 'AI meal plans' were shown to be basic templates. In another major case, a fitness device brand was forced to settle $25 million for falsely advertising its 'smart' capabilities.

So what must one look for when purchasing an AI fitness product?

Transparency

Real AI isn’t hidden—it is explained.

Transparent platforms like Whoop, Freeletics, Fitbod, and Tempo offer insight into how their algorithms work, and how they adapt based on your data. They continuously update, evolve, and adjust according to the metrics of a user's body—not arbitrary progress markers.

Here is a quick litmus test: create two user profiles with different fitness levels and goals. If the app gives them the same workout plan, it is likely just repackaging static content.

The most effective apps and wearables integrate real-time biometric feedback into a session plan.

Is a workout based on HRV, sleep, or performance data? That is the sign of real AI, not a glorified scheduler.

There is also evidence that when AI fitness is done right, it delivers measurable results. A study at Western Colorado University found that participants doing three short, AI-optimised workouts per week on a CAROL bike experienced significant improvements in VO₂ max—a key marker of cardiovascular fitness.

So what does the future hold?

A hybrid future

Despite all the advancements, one truth is becoming clear: AI cannot replace a good coach—but it can certainly empower one.

The future of fitness is hybrid. AI tools can track your data, adapt your training, and optimize your plan. But human trainers provide emotional intelligence, contextual feedback, and motivation that AI simply cannot.

But progress is already underway and the best platforms are already embracing this blend. For instance, the fitness app Future, for example, combines AI performance tracking with personal coaching, offering users the best of both worlds.

As the technology continues to mature, expect deeper integration with mental health metrics, menstrual cycle data, and metabolic feedback. These shifts will move us closer to holistic, precision fitness.

But even then, AI will not be enough on its own.

The key takeaway?

Let AI make your fitness training smarter. But do not let it take over the wheel, not just yet. Because no matter how intelligent the tech becomes, the smartest decision-maker in your fitness journey is still you.