CES 2025 has shown me the future of AI in fitness, and it's hilariously unimaginative

The author of this opinion piece observes that the buzzword of CES 2025 was “AI,” with manufacturers integrating artificial intelligence into fitness gadgets as the next big trend. However, the author argues that most of these AI-powered fitness devices and services aren’t offering anything truly new. Products like the Amazfit Active 2 smartwatch, AI-guided home gym machines such as Amp and Gym Monster 2, and data-driven recovery plans from Therabody essentially build on existing algorithmic approaches that Garmin, COROS, and others have already used to recommend workouts based on training data. Although some companies are using large language models or generative AI to refine their suggestions, the results mostly resemble the same flowchart-based offerings from previous years.

According to the author, the fundamental limitation is that physical exercise and training still need a human element for real-time feedback and nuanced decision-making, such as dialing back intensity when you’re unwell. While AI can make intelligent recommendations or automate certain planning tasks, it doesn’t replace personal trainers or human expertise. Despite the hype, the author remains disappointed by the lack of truly inventive AI applications in the fitness sector at CES, believing that the so-called “AI revolution” in consumer health and fitness has yet to introduce anything genuinely game-changing.