Google’s $9.99-per-month AI health coach launches May 19
Source: TechCrunch
Alongside unveiling the new Fitbit Air – a Whoop‑esque fitness band – Google announced that it is rebranding its Fitbit app as Google Health and launching an AI‑powered health coach as a subscription service.
The Health app will become a central part of Google’s fitness strategy, building on its 2021 acquisition of Fitbit, which brought the tech giant into the wearables space to complement its broader Android smartwatch offerings.
Leveraging Gemini AI
Google’s Gemini AI powers the new Google Health Coach, offering personalized insights that act as a combination fitness coach, sleep expert, and health‑and‑wellness advisor. The service has been in public preview since last year and has been refined based on user feedback.
Pricing and Availability
- Global launch: May 19 (the same day the Fitbit Air goes on sale)
- Subscription: Part of Google Health Premium (formerly Fitbit Premium) at $9.99 per month or $99 per year.
- Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers receive Google Health Premium at no additional cost.
How the Coach Works
- Onboarding: Users specify health goals, daily routine, available exercise equipment, injuries, and other lifestyle factors.
- Personalized guidance: The coach creates tailored insights based on the provided details.
- Natural‑language interaction: Users can update goals or personal details, log workouts, meals, and health records by speaking, uploading photos, or attaching files.
The coach is accessible from the Today tab of the Google Health app. Insights combine data from multiple sources, including fitness and sleep metrics, environment, nutrition, cycle tracking, and U.S. medical records (if granted access). Cycle tracking, nutrition, and mental‑well‑being features have been redesigned specifically for the health coach.
The AI coach is also integrated into other areas of the app:
- Fitness tab: Workout suggestions and guidance
- Sleep tab: Enhanced sleep tracking
- Health tab: Summaries of your metrics
Device Compatibility
- Initial rollout: Select Fitbit and Pixel Watch users
- Future support: Additional devices coming soon
- General access: Anyone can download the Google Health app to get started. Users without a Fitbit or Pixel Watch will be notified when the coach becomes available for their device.