The Pitfalls of AI Health Coaches
You’re dragging a bit as you get out of bed, but you’re roused by the greeting of your AI health coach: “Ready for a healthy, happy day?” it chirps from your smartwatch.
“I’ve been noticing a trend,” it continues, unbidden. Not again, you think. “Since you started fasting from food for 18 hours, your daily stress levels are higher. But when you fast for 12 hours, your sleep, stress, and exercise are closer to optimal.”
It’s true that you’ve felt more tired and worn-down lately. In fact, you were thinking about going to see your doctor about it. “What’s the upshot of all this, coach?” you ask your watch.
“Based on your patterns and some of the research literature on intermittent fasting,” it says, “I suggest keeping your daily fasts to 12 hours and seeing if your stats improve.”
Humans, as it
