While some are using AI to tailor programs better suited to their needs, others warn ‘it can be wrong, confidently so’
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eople have mixed feelings about AI. While many people regularly use it – 62% in the US and 69% in the UK – trust in the technology is low. In the US, only 26% of people have a positive view of AI, according to one NBC poll, and in the UK, 78% say they worry about negative outcomes from AI.
So it is perhaps no surprise that readers’ responses to our callout about AI and fitness were varied. Some said they rely on AI to shape their workouts and diets while others said they refuse to use it at all because of its impact on the economy and the environment. And many were somewhere in between – they found it a useful tool, but were less than thrilled about the technology’s impact overall.
“Developing a fitness program requires more than a cookbook approach, which is what you will get from AI,” says Dr Carol Garber, professor of movement science and education at Columbia University. Garber recommends working with a (human) certified exercise professional if at all possible, whether virtually or in person. “AI samples from available information on the internet, and frankly, it often gets things wrong,” she says. These mistakes could result in serious injuries.
