The Fitness Industry Has an AI Problem
This post is based on our latest podcast episode diving deep into the world of AI in the fitness industry — from fake personas to mass-produced meal plans. Listen to the full episode for the full conversation!
Is the Real Problem AI… or the Fitness Industry?
The fitness and wellness space has always rewarded a lot of the wrong things, like mistaking a lean figure for knowledge and expertise.
Now add tools that let anyone mass-produce content, manufacture authority, and (in some cases) create an entirely fake person to deliver it all, and the online space has become even harder to navigate.
Where AI is showing up in the nutrition and wellness space
When most people hear "AI fitness influencer," they picture some uncanny CGI figure doing Romanian deadlifts in a neon gym. (Yep, that exists!)
But the reality is much broader. An AI fitness influencer might be:
A completely fabricated persona: fake person, fake body, fake progress photos, fake "what I eat in a day” videos, fake inspiration
A real human using AI to do the heavy lifting: AI-written captions, AI-generated meal plans sold as "personalized," AI e-books, AI educational posts. Basically using artificial intelligence to mass-produce the appearance of expertise.
A brand operation: supplement companies using AI to generate fake testimonials, false "science-backed" posts, or those slightly sketchy quizzes that somehow always conclude you need to buy $80 worth of powders and capsules.
The key point: you don't need to be a literal robot to be an AI fitness influencer. If AI is being used to manufacture the advice, the authority, the trust in a way that makes someone look far more knowledgeable or evidence-based than they actually are… that counts.
In case you're wondering how widespread this is, here's a quote from someone who runs an ad agency managing AI influencers for major brands that we discussed more in the podcast episode:
"I'm going to say about 40% to 60% of the content out there from some of the big brands is actually being made through AI, but a lot of the creators are under NDA. I call it plausible deniability."
When Is AI Useful vs. When Is It Dishonest?
This isn't an "AI bad, humans are good" conversation. As always, there is much more nuance than that! As personalized, evidence-based nutrition coaches at KLN we have a very strong, clear AI Policy that dictates how we use artificial intelligence (and most importantly, how we don’t). I think the line from helpful to harmful can be crossed when:
Chat GPT-generated plans are sold as real, personalized coaching
Generic advice is presented as tailored to you
Content is posted that the creator doesn't actually understand
Fake testimonials or fake results are used
AI use is hidden because the creator knows people would trust them less
AI is used to make someone look more qualified than they are
Your Gut Is Probably Right. Here's What to Look For:
If you're trying to figure out whether someone is worth trusting online, here are a few things to look out for:
Every problem leads to a supplement
Lots of scientific-sounding language, but nothing is ever clearly explained
"Personalized" plans sold en masse
Speaking in absolutes (this "always" works or "never" eat this!)
Normal symptoms framed as major dysfunction
Constant talk of hormones, cortisol, toxins, or inflammation
You're made to feel broken, deficient, or damaged before being offered a solution
Everything funnels toward a product
Questions worth asking before you buy:
What are their actual qualifications?
What real coaching experience do they have?
What does "personalized" actually mean here?
Are they helping me understand principles, or making me dependent on them?
Would this advice still hold up if they weren't attractive, lean, fit, etc?
People don't usually go online looking for health and fitness advice as a casual hobby. They're often coming in feeling confused, overwhelmed, and desperate for something that finally works after years of trying things that haven't.
Falling for it doesn't mean you're not smart. It means the marketing worked! This content is built to be convincing, and it's designed to catch people at their most vulnerable or desperate.
Understanding what you're looking at is the first line of defense, and conscious media consumption and our critical thinking skills are more important than ever.
Listen to the Full Episode for more
Want more convos like these?
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Kate Lyman
Leader, nutrition educator, and former chronic dieter helping clients rebuild their relationship with food, escape the cycle of yo-yo dieting for good, and cut through the overwhelm of nutrition misinformation.
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