AI Is Reshaping Fitness Faster Than You Think

From daily app use to personalized gym journeys, AI is moving from feature to foundation — are you keeping up?

AI is moving fast in fitness and wellness.

On July 30, Life Time launched L-AI-C, a free AI wellness assistant built into its app. It’s powered by Microsoft’s Azure AI Foundry and taps into 30 years of Life Time’s internal data. The assistant gives members personalized recommendations for fitness, nutrition, and recovery — and soon it’ll sync with wearables to get even more tailored.

This launch comes at a time when consumer use of AI fitness tools is exploding. Nearly half of consumers now use AI-powered wellness apps daily, according to the Summer 2025 Wellness Watch Report by ABC Fitness. Usage is highest among Gen Z—and that surge is showing up in new memberships and more engaged gym users.

Operators are adapting fast. At the ATN Innovation Summit, presenters shared practical examples of how they’re using AI to personalize training programs, improve retention, and automate gym operations. EGYM stood out, applying AI to a vast dataset of workouts and assessments to shape the member journey while keeping staff involved where it matters most.

Still, there are friction points. The ABC Fitness report highlights a generational divide in AI trust. Gen Z leans in. Boomers remain cautious. And even with growing adoption, privacy and data security concerns continue to surface in member conversations.

Meanwhile, business models are shifting. Operators are merging digital and in-person offerings, using predictive analytics for injury prevention, nutrition planning, and real-time coaching. Tools like gamification and feedback loops are helping teams drive long-term engagement.

This isn’t experimental anymore. AI is becoming core to how fitness businesses deliver value — especially to younger audiences who expect personalized, tech-driven support. The challenge: scale it without losing the human layer.

How are you approaching AI at your club? What’s working — and what still feels risky?