What you need to know
- Fitbit detailed the start of its Labs experimental grounds, which kicks off with its first test: Insight Explorer.
- The test, available to Premium subscribers, uses Google’s Gemini to “understand” your Fitbit data and provide personalized answers to questions.
- Fitbit teased Labs was on the way in March and said it utilizes a “fine-tuned” variant of Gemini to create a “freeform chat space” for users.
Fitbit is delivering its first Labs experiment for a feature in development that progresses the app’s health and fitness analytics.
In a community blog post, Fitbit detailed the initial opt-in test in Labs called “Insight Explorer.” Premium subscribers will notice the new Labs banner in their “You” tab with the following description: “Discover insights generated by AI.” Fitbit states this new feature leverages LLMs (large language models), but more specifically, it uses Google’s Gemini intelligence.
The test is to see how well Gemini can “understand” a user’s personal health questions from Fitbit data. Gemini’s purpose in the Insight Explorer is to give users “personalized answers” about the various pieces of data Fitbit keeps a record of.
Fitbit directs us to its support center, which expands on its first Labs test of Insight Explorer. Wearing your Fitbit device is ideal as the app collects your health & fitness data concerning a wide range of areas. The post states Insight Explorer will leverage steps, Active Zone Minutes, sleep score, sleep duration, heart rate variability, resting heart rate, and more for Gemini’s functions.
With enough data, users can begin asking Gemini specific questions about themselves. Fitbit states users can ask about their averages (think steps), trends, highest/lowest values (sleep, etc.), personal bests, comparisons, and more.
Fitbit highlights some advisories about Insight Explorer, such as the chance that it may get your data wrong. The company attributes this to its usage of generative AI, which we know is prone to hallucinations and erroneous statements. Insight Explorer may also take “up to” 48 hours before your data of gathered and available for personalized answers via Gemini.
More importantly, the company states “when you ask a question in insights explorer, your data may be analyzed to provide a response to your question.” Additionally, some of your data may be used to “improve and develop” Fitbit products alongside keeping its machine learning capabilities sharp. Of course, users don’t have to engage with Insight Explorer in Fitbit Labs.
The post adds that users can opt out of the generative AI experience by entering Fitbit Settings > Fitbit Labs > Insights Explorer > Turn off. This will likely be how to disable it once it arrives in a stable update for all users.
We’ve been waiting for Fitbit Labs to start since the company teased its arrival in March. It’s worth remembering that Labs is open to a “limited” number of people, so you might have to wait if things fill up quickly. Fitbit’s segment during The Checkup 2024 event detailed that this Gemini we’re getting is “a fine-tuned version” of what other devices have.
Those getting into the test will be exposed to its “freeform chat space” for their questions and “personalized answers.”