How fitness clubs are adopting the power of AI to boost efficiency and member satisfaction.
Discussions around AI continue to heat up. According to National University, 77% of companies reported they were exploring or using AI in business operations at the beginning of 2024. That number has likely grown since then, and fitness clubs are no exception.
From automating operations to enhancing member engagement, forward-thinking clubs are integrating AI to streamline processes and deliver personalized experiences. This technological shift is about making clubs more efficient, responsive and innovative. By thoughtfully implementing AI, clubs are finding ways to meaningfully connect with members and optimize internal operations in ways previously out of reach.
For Tristen Quintero, the marketing coordinator at Valley Fitness, AI has become a powerful tool to increase speed and efficiency in day-to-day operations. Through a partnership with HireBOB.ai that began in August 2024, the club automates customer inquiries and membership services. The AI-powered sales agent works 24/7 to answer questions about class schedules, club locations or membership details. These capabilities ensure consistent communication across various channels.
“AI significantly reduces our wait times, enhancing the customer experience by ensuring members receive information instantly, keeping them informed and engaged,” said Quintero. “We decided to invest in AI to alleviate our staff and provide a faster response time with 24/7 availability. This is something that was challenging to achieve with human agents alone and allows our team to focus on personalized, complex interactions and improve overall efficiency and effort.”
However, implementing AI effectively requires more than just automation — it demands thoughtful preparation and high-quality data. Aaron Gette, the chief information officer at EoS Fitness, emphasized the need of good input for great output. Before diving into AI, EoS Fitness focused on ensuring their data was clean, accurate and well-managed.
“Garbage in, garbage out,” explained Gette. “You can’t teach a generative AI how to do something if the data is bad because then it’ll make decisions based off bad data. That’s the last thing you want. We had to do the work to clean up the data and put ourselves in the best position to feed that clean data into a model that could actually output something meaningful.”
Similarly, the data input into AI technology needs to be ethically collected and in compliance with local and national laws. Ensuring you’re using or sharing data securely minimizes risk and maximizes results.
Once the groundwork was laid, EoS Fitness rolled out AI-powered chatbots and used Microsoft Copilot to streamline operations. The chatbots handle common member inquiries — such as questions about hours, class schedules or membership freezes — reducing call volumes and the need for human intervention on routine tasks. Microsoft Copilot assists staff by generating reports, summarizing meeting notes and creating presentations, allowing employees to focus on higher-level decision-making.
These improvements not only optimize operations but also enhance the member experience by providing quick, reliable information. “The idea was to reduce the number of basic questions that come to our support side of operations,” said Gette. “If the situation requires a human to be involved and take over the conversation, it’s easy to make that handoff.”
Furthermore, EoS Fitness is exploring AI-powered connected equipment and virtual coaching to further motivate members. The brand has been partnering with EGYM to offer more technologically advanced equipment to its member base who wants AI to be part of their workout. These technologies offer personalized feedback, helping members track their progress and stay on track with their goals.
“AI won’t replace personal trainers but it could be an aggregator of your own data,” emphasized Gette. “It reminds you what you should be doing to continue to build healthy habits.”
Recognizing AI’s limitations along with its capabilities is key to ensuring you’re implementing this technology effectively and ethically. When it’s used as a tool instead of a replacement, its power can redefine operations and member experience.
This sentiment takes center stage at Lumin Fitness which is working to revolutionize fitness through technology. However, Omeed Shams, the co-founder and chief product officer, explained how AI is a means to enhance creativity, personalization and operational efficiency rather than a centerpiece.
“Our mission is to challenge the stagnation that has defined the fitness industry for the last 50 years,” said Shams. “We believe consumers, coaches and operators deserve a better experience that delivers transformative outcomes and redefines market expectations. Technology is the catalyst that enables us to achieve this vision as an enabler, not the focal point.”
Some areas Lumin Fitness uses AI include exercise tracking, generative programming and studio automation. These tools remove friction from running a fitness studio, allowing coaches to focus on building community rather than managing logistics.
“Coaches no longer have to act as traffic controllers in a crowded group fitness class,” explained Shams. “Instead, technology handles exercise tracking, form corrections and equipment logistics. This frees up coaches to invest their energy into building relationships with members which is what really matters.”
For members, this approach translates to a highly personalized workout experience. AI helps deliver the best possible workout for each individual, optimizing efficiency and reducing perceived exertion. The data collected isn’t meant to overwhelm users but to show meaningful progress, deepening their trust in the process.
“It’s about personalization at scale,” said Shams. “The use of technology helps us deliver the best possible workout for each individual on any given day, optimize efficiency and reduce perceived exertion in training modalities. Most importantly, we use data judiciously — not to overwhelm users but to show meaningful progress and deepen their trust in the process.”
As this technology evolves, it’s important to change and evaluate your systems as well. Having an iterative approach ensures that the AI continues to improve and better serve members over time.
At Valley Fitness, initial AI responses didn’t always capture the nuances of operations, requiring fine-tuning based on member feedback.
“One of the main challenges we encountered when working with AI was ensuring it fully understood the nuances of our business and could respond accurately to a wide range of member inquiries,” said Quintero. “Initially, we noticed some gaps in AI’s responses within more specific and unique questions or scenarios. So, we spent a lot of time training it about our services, member needs and frequently asked questions to refine responses. We’re continuously updating it based on member feedback and conversations.”
Shams echoed this sentiment, emphasizing AI implementation requires a balanced and intentional approach. “Be intentional; don’t adopt AI just to check off a buzzword,” he advised. “Use these models to add value, not just to generate noise. Fitness is about improving experiences and delivering results. Both the industry and its consumers deserve thoughtful, purposeful innovation.”
Despite these challenges, the potential for AI in fitness is vast. By enhancing member interactions, optimizing operations, and balancing technology with human expertise, AI offers opportunities to deliver faster service, deeper engagement and transformative results. The key lies in understanding where AI can add the most value and being intentional about its implementation.
“Everyone in this space understands the weight of what we’re building,” said Shams. “Fitness is one of the most fundamental pillars of society that directly impacts health, happiness and longevity. Let’s continue to collaborate, share insights and build a future we can all be proud of.”
