Will AI replace personal trainers?

With AI's constantly growing presence, everyone is asking if it will replace personal trainers in the fitness arena? In a nutshell, no. But let’s see how AI can complement rather than compete.

1. AI's Capabilities:

AI, especially those based on large language models (LLMs), has an impressive capacity to sift through vast amounts of data quickly, summarize complex studies, and generate workout plans. It's a benefit for those starting and needing an initial structured path. But here's where it falls short – AI isn't personal enough and it doesn't have eyes. While it can spit out routines, it can't check your form, observe your overall mood, or give you that personal piece of motivation.

2. AI Can't See Us, So It Can't Correct Us:

Each of us has unique challenges often overlooked by ourselves. When I wanted to improve my squat years ago, I thought increasing weight in squats, deadlifts, and lower back exercises was the answer. Even today, when I asked ChatGPT-4 how to improve my squat, it gave a similar plan based on proper form, exercises, and progressive overload. But its lack of visual capabilities is a huge gap. Going back to my initial problem, my first strength coach immediately observed a knee valgus and a slight forward lean during my squat. The real solution? Strengthening my abductors and lower back first. This highlights a significant limitation with AI: it can't visually assess or correct our movements.

3. Potential Privacy Issues:

There's talk about how AI may eventually be able to use cameras to observe and correct form, potentially bridging this visual gap. But there's another layer to this – privacy. As technology advances, our desire to maintain personal boundaries also escalates. Letting AI have visual access in our personal spaces could open up Pandora’s Box.

4. Human Connection:

Beyond just form and exercises, there's a human element in training. Personal trainers don't just see your physical state; we often get a pulse on your mood, motivation, and overall well-being. We can adjust a session based on whether you're having an off day or if you're ready to push your limits. After all, we are called PERSONAL trainers for a reason.

5. Broad Data vs. Personalization:

AI bases its suggestions on extensive datasets. It's currently a broad strokes approach that is narrowed down to a "best fit" answer. A personal trainer tailors each piece of advice, workout, and feedback specifically to the individual. It's the difference between an off-the-rack suit and bespoke couture.

Conclusion:

While AI offers an exciting frontier in fitness, personal trainers bring a level of customization, understanding, and human touch that's currently irreplaceable. AI will certainly help personal trainers if we embrace their capabilities for things like editing articles, enhancing videos, or aggregating large amount of training data. But AI isn’t replacing us in the gym anytime soon.