AI Ushering In Winds Of Change In India's Wellbeing Industry
Ever wonder how many calories there are in the foods listed in a restaurant menu? Ever have trouble deciding what to order at a restaurant when you are trying to follow a diet plan? Resisting the temptation to eat unhealthy foods while on a diet is probably the hardest to do when you eat out.
Meet Ria. She could help you curb your temptations and encourage you to remain resolute in your dietary goals. What is unique about her is that Ria is not a human being, but an artificial intelligence (AI)- powered, conversational nutritionist. Ria is designed to be an ‘intelligent’ virtual assistant to users on HealtifyMe’s mobile platform. She uses key learnings obtained from our database of 150 million tracked meals and 10 million message exchanges between coaches and clients to give personalised feedback on food choices. Ria is a personal health coach who can answer questions about nutrition and fitness via both audio and text in more than five global languages.
The advent of artificial intelligence in wellness is gaining momentum, setting new benchmarks for enabling more effective outcomes. A human nutritionist cannot process the data of thousands of people and respond instantly. They can provide a diet plan and occasionally get in touch with you. But a digital assistant in the form of an AI-powered chatbot embedded within a mobile app, has the capability to provide tailored nutritional advice 24/7 and design food plans based on one’s dietary habits.
Ria can also scan food items listed on a menu, break them down to their nutritional values and recommend what you should and should not be eating, based on your dietary goals. Artificial intelligence-powered chatbots like Ria can transform the way people manage their nutrition and fitness plans, providing personalised feedback and suggestions based on the users’ lifestyle habits. More than 50 per cent of all our customer interactions are directed towards Ria, even when users have a choice to speak to a human coach. In tier-2 cities, where access to certified nutritionists is limited, Ria can help bridge the gap.
Wearables are another segment that can collect and monitor individual health data like heart rate, running speed, posture, etc., while users are on the move. Machine learning and algorithms are used to augment the capability of wearables like Boltt’s fitness system. It leverages on data analytics to provide real-time feedback on overall health and performance metrics with actionable insights. There is also a whole new segment of specialised devices that go beyond simple fitness trackers to serve as healthcare tools that can detect certain symptoms of underlying diseases.
In the long run, data insights collected through AI and machine learning can be leveraged to integrate with services like health, education and finance. They can be used to provide accurate and relevant information to healthcare professionals for better outcomes and help people get better health insurance policies based on their health history.
Technologies such as AI and machine learning essentially make it easier for users to proactively keep track of their dietary and workout habits and maintain a healthier lifestyle. By making wellness accessible to everyone without the physical presence of a nutritionist, AI-enabled personal coaches can help people actively take control of their health.
