First of all, for those who may not know what an Artificial Intelligence is, it refers to a simulation of human intelligence that was programmed to process and respond to thoughts and actions, like human would (Frankenfield, 2020). Imagine a machine that could learn the process of human thoughts and produce rational responses, and achieve the goals intended. Artificial intelligence basically satisfies the principle of human intelligence, which was simplified as learning, reasoning, and owning perception. AI has incorporated many approaches not limited to only mathematics, but also computer science, linguistics, psychology, ethics, etc. All those cross-disciplinary approaches were possible through algorithms. Algorithms plays a significant role as AI’s foundation structure. A little bit about algorithms, they are basically a set of procedure that help in working out a specific formula or sequence to produce the specified actions as intended and typically written in many forms (Rouse, Tawfiq, & Ali 2019).

Nowadays AI has been utilized endlessly throughout many sectors and industries. This is including healthcare industry, though the most simplified use of AI would be your opponent in computer chess game. For instance, the utilization of AI in self-driving cars, is intended to generate the most effective and efficient routes that run without collision.

With the help of the growing technology in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Aaptiv is one of the many startups that incorporate AI-based assistant to meet the growing demand of a more personalized fitness and lifestyle plans (Lunden, 2019). Aaptiv introduced its AI-based service as “Aaptiv Coach.” This new line of service could help users reach their health-related goals by providing personalized fitness and lifestyle plans, status on current fitness levels, meal plans, and integration to external devices (smartwatches, fitness trackers, etc). Coach was built to deliver fitness plans based on the users’ data. It uses AI to measure the users’ fitness priority, then provides users with Aaptiv workout plans, or other alternative options including self-exercise or fitness sessions from external party. Three years before Coach was released, the company has undergone major development in building out data and improving its algorithms. There are 22 million workout plans across 20 million countries which were translated into a big data. This one big data is what Coach and Aaptiv use to produce what the users’ want.

Here is how Coach as a digital coach work in utilizing AI simply by asking the user to fill out a set of questionnaires (Aaptiv, 2019). The steps included in the questionnaire are setting the primary goal, creating habits, checking out recommended activities, completing recommended workouts. Coach, then will analyze users’ goals, limitation, preference, and etc, to enable Aaptiv creates a more flexible plans (Whaling, 2019). As quoted from TechCrunch, let’s say that a person workout 45 minutes and three times a week. This was amounted to 2% of the person’s whole week, while the 98% of the week was subjected as where the person’s habits came from (Lunden, 2019). Thus, Coach will best complement Aaptiv’s trainer-led workout to improve users’ engagement to fitness plan.

In conclusion, artificial intelligence could help people reach more of their potential. Like Aaptiv, one of the many platforms that utilized AI, they help users to work with a plan that satisfy their needs and work past their limitations or constraints. While AI was thought to be an innovation in technology that would not really benefit the society, but nowadays, we can see them everywhere (Mackay, 2020). The AI integrated system will then create personalized workout plans crafted using users’ information data, then with the help of professional, human trainers, there is still enough space for improvement.

References
1. Aaptiv. “Meet Aaptiv Coach. A Highly-Personalized Digital Coaching Experience.” youtube, May. 21, 2019. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFoLirlh3oo)
2. Frankenfield, J. (2020, January 29). How Artificial Intelligence Works. Retrieved February 5, 2020, from https://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/artificial-intelligence-ai.asp
3. Lunden, I. (2019, May 21). Aaptiv, the workout app, launches a new AI-based personal trainer called Coach. Retrieved February 5, 2020, from https://techcrunch.com/2019/05/21/aaptiv-the-workout-app-launches-a-new-ai-based-personal-trainer-called-coach/
4. Mackay, M. (2020, February 6). Adversarial artificial intelligence: winning the cyber security battle. Retrieved February 6, 2020, from https://www.information-age.com/adversarial-artificial-intelligence-winning-cyber-security-battle-123487325/
5. Rouse, Margaret, et al. “What Is Algorithm? – Definition from WhatIs.com.” WhatIs.com, TechTarget, 20 Mar. 2019, whatis.techtarget.com/definition/algorithm.
6. Whaling, P. (2019, August 2). Why A Human-Focused Fitness Platform Launched A Digital Coach. Retrieved February 5, 2020, from https://www.psfk.com/2019/07/expert-insight-aaptiv-interview.html