Is Bengaluru ready to discuss health woes and goals with a machine?

Last year, a section of the users of a healthcare app were introduced to Ria 1.0, which would keep a track of what users eat and their workout regimens. It also calculated the daily calorie needs and made lifestyle suggestions to their users. Ria 1.0’s database included 150 million tracked meals and 10 million message exchanges between coaches and clients. Ria 1.0 currently handles 80% of the queries directly, instead of passing of them to the nutritionists. The tech start-up has now rolled out Ria 2.0, which promises to be a far more advanced version of the previous AI, so much so that it can take on the role of a personal coach by using all the data stored from consumers. But the bigger question remains whether the IT city, the hub of technological changes, is ready to leap into this new technological wave of talking to a machine about health goals? BT talks to a few fitness enthusiasts and coaches about the same...

‘When human beings can’t help out, I am not sure if a machine can’
“The truth is, most of the people who walk into a gym have no idea about the human anatomy. They don’t even know what to ask the gym instructor. Sadly, even the coaches do not make an effort in this regard. People don’t ask which part of the body they are working on during a particular exercise. When this is the level of ignorance among humans, I am not sure how a machine would help. People need to know their own body and its needs before they can depend on a machine to help them out. A risk with your body and might lead to an irreparable damage,” says Jayaram Karthik, actor.

‘AI is the way forward’
“In this day and age, where we are so connected to our phones and rely on so many apps to make our life easier, I think something as unique as an artificial intelligence on your phone is only a way forward. It will, definitely, help individuals with a really tight schedule. With my schedule, I also rely on fitness apps through watches that guide me everywhere. Hence, I would not hesitate to try something like this. But, people should share all their health issues with the app and study the app before trying it,” says Sriimurali, actor.

‘Some amount of expertise is required when it comes to individual health care’
“Human beings are a complex lot and I believe some amount of expertise is required with it comes to individual health care. Opting for advice by an AI on issues such as weight loss etc., might be dangerous. But, if people designing the AI have taken into account a holistic approach to health care, then it is probably an option worth exploring. Technology is the future and AI being included in personalised nutrition is a step forward. But designers have to know that the AI’s answer to a person’s query would change that person's life — for the better or for the worse. Hence, whatever information is building the application should be thorough,” says Manasa Rajan, Health and Wellness Coach.