Google’s $9.99 Monthly AI Health Coach Sets Sail on May 19

Google is stepping up its game in the wearable tech and health tracking space with a series of exciting announcements. The tech giant recently showcased its new Fitbit Air, which adds some Whoop-like features to the mix, but that's not all. On Thursday, Google also announced it would be rebranding its Fitbit app as Google Health and introducing a subscription-based AI health coach service for $9.99 per month or $99 annually. This move positions Google to better compete in the crowded fitness tech market while leveraging its recent acquisition of Fitbit.

New Features and Enhancements

The new Google Health Coach, powered by Google's Gemini AI, will offer personalized insights and guidance tailored to each user. This coach serves as a comprehensive fitness advisor, sleep expert, and overall wellness mentor. The service has been in public preview since last year and has seen improvements based on user feedback.

Onboarding Process

When you sign up for the premium subscription, an onboarding process will gather crucial information about your health goals, daily routines, available exercise equipment, any injuries to watch out for, and other lifestyle factors. This data is then used by the coach to provide customized guidance.

User Interaction

To make communication as seamless as possible, users can interact with the coach using natural language to update their personal details or goals anytime. You can also log workouts, meals, and health records through voice dictation or by uploading photos and files directly into the app.

Integration Across Google Health App

The AI coach will be integrated across various sections of the Google Health app. For instance, it will offer personalized workout suggestions in the Fitness tab, provide detailed sleep tracking insights in the Sleep tab, and summarize your overall health metrics in the Health tab. The company promises that any advice provided by the coach is not just a summary but combines data from multiple sources, including fitness and sleep metrics, environmental factors, nutrition, menstrual cycle tracking, and even U.S. medical records (if granted access).

Availability

The Google Health Coach will initially be available to select users with Fitbit or Pixel Watch devices, but support for other devices is coming soon. Anyone can download the Google Health app to get started, and those without a compatible device will receive notifications when the coach becomes available to them.

Note: While the service is set to launch on May 19 along with the new Fitbit Air, Google hasn't specified an exact date for broader availability.