Google claims the data will enhance the AI coach’s ability to offer advice but notes it cannot diagnose, treat, or monitor conditions.
Would you share your medical records with a personal trainer? How about a virtual one? Google, which recently announced that Fitbit’s AI health coach will have the ability to access your medical records, hopes you will, following the path of competitors like Amazon, OpenAI, and Microsoft. These companies are banking on users exchanging their sensitive data for personalized health advice.
Beginning next month, Fitbit users in the US can connect their medical records to the Fitbit app. This medical data, including lab results, medications, and visit history, will complement wearable data, helping Fitbit’s AI-powered health coach deliver more personalized and safer advice, according to Florence Thng, Google’s health intelligence product management director.
Thng explained that, for instance:
“Rather than receiving a generic answer about cholesterol, you can ask, ‘How can I improve my cholesterol?’ The coach will summarize your cholesterol labs, highlighting key values and trends, and offer personalized wellness insights based on your medical history and wearable data.”
In the upcoming months, Thng mentioned that users will have the option to “securely share” their records and AI summaries with family or healthcare providers using a link or QR code. Thng also emphasized that medical records won’t be used for advertising and users will have control over their data, its usage, sharing, or deletion.
At the blog’s conclusion, Google stated its demonstrations are “illustrative” and clarified that “Fitbit is not intended to use your medical records to diagnose, treat, cure, prevent, or monitor any disease or condition,” advising users to consult professionals “before making changes concerning your health.”
Moreover, Fitbit’s sleep tracking is set to receive a significant update, touted by Google as “our most significant update yet.” The company announced that Fitbit’s sleep tracking will now be 15% more accurate and better at distinguishing between sleeping and attempting to sleep. This update will roll out in preview “over the next few days,” with an improved sleep score to follow soon.
The decision to integrate medical records with Fitbit’s AI health coach acknowledges the increasing popularity of AI in health and wellness among consumers. As tech, wellness, and fitness companies leverage the technology to expand offerings and provide more detailed insights into users’ lives, wearable companies like Oura and Woop use dedicated chatbots to deliver personalized advice. While Anthropic and OpenAI encourage users to share data with Claude and ChatGPT to talk about health, Google’s Gemini, which powers Fitbit’s AI coach, hasn’t publicly taken this direction with its chatbot.
Companies maintaining that their products aren’t meant to diagnose or treat could face regulatory scrutiny, especially from bodies like the FDA, and must handle sensitive data with care. Many AI-based health products aren’t yet available in regions with strict privacy laws, like Europe, and experts warn users to be cautious about sharing information, particularly regarding reproductive data in America.