Apple Inc. is advancing its foray into AI-driven health management with the development of new health coaching features for its Health app, internally known as “Project Mulberry.” This initiative marks a significant step in Apple’s strategy to transform its products into comprehensive health tools.
The company is currently testing an AI-powered coach designed to provide personalized health advice to users. While Apple devices already collect extensive health data, this new feature will leverage artificial intelligence, potentially using a large language model (LLM), to interpret and provide actionable insights. The service, possibly branded as “Health+,” will analyze data from medical devices and incorporate food tracking to offer tailored recommendations.
Apple is training the AI coach using data from staff physicians and plans to expand its database with health-related videos from additional medical professionals. This move aligns with CEO Tim Cook’s emphasis on integrating robust health features into Apple’s ecosystem. The Apple Watch has already established itself as a prominent health tracker, and recent product launches, such as the Powerbeats Pro 2 with heart rate monitoring, signal further expansion into health-focused wearables.
Furthermore, Apple is reportedly developing a non-invasive continuous glucose monitoring system for the Apple Watch, highlighting its long-term commitment to health technology.
As Apple integrates AI across its product line, including the iPhone, Mac, and iPad, the health sector emerges as a key area for AI-driven innovation. This initiative follows industry trends, with competitors like Samsung also exploring AI-based health coaching solutions.
Despite these advancements, analysts suggest Apple lags behind other tech giants in AI development. While the company introduced “Apple Intelligence” with the iPhone 16, it has faced challenges in timely feature rollouts and has received criticism for the limited scope of its current AI offerings. The development of an AI health coach underscores Apple’s ambition to bridge this gap and solidify its position in the burgeoning AI-powered health market.
