Apple scales back AI health coach project as Eddy Cue pushes for faster innovation
8 Sources
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Apple's AI Health Coach Project May Need a Wellness Check
The company's ambitious plans to introduce a virtual health coach may be going back to the drawing board, according to a report. Apple is scaling back and rethinking its ambitious plans to introduce an AI-powered health coach, according to a Bloomberg report by Mark Gurman citing anonymous sources
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Apple Reportedly Drops Plans for AI Doctor in Health App
Apple is no longer working on an AI assistant that can track your health data and provide guidance. The project has been scaled back significantly, and only some of its features will make it to the Health app over time, Bloomberg reports. Before the cutback, Apple reportedly planned to launch the
[3]
Apple Is Scaling Back Plans for New AI-Based Health Coach Service
Apple Inc. is scaling back plans for a virtual health coach, according to people with knowledge of the matter, part of an effort to rethink how the company approaches the burgeoning market for wellness services. The initiative, code-named Mulberry, was wound down in recent weeks, according to the
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Apple reportedly axed its planned AI health coach
Apple is no longer launching an AI service that can "replicate" a doctor and act as a personal health coach, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The company has reportedly scaled back the unannounced initiative in recent weeks, following a recent organization reshuffling wherein services chief
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Apple reportedly scales back plans for AI-powered health coach - 9to5Mac
Bloomberg reports that Apple has recently scaled back its plans for the Project Mulberry initiative following a leadership shakeup at the company's health organization. Here are the details. Last year, Bloomberg reported that Apple was looking into Project Mulberry, an initiative that would bring
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Apple's AI-powered health service is reportedly on life support
Under new leadership from Eddy Cue, some features like data analysis may still integrate into the existing Health app while Apple explores alternative health solutions. A new report from Bloomberg says that the long-in-development subscription health service is on the rocks. The centerpiece of the
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Apple Scales Back AI Health Coach Plans | PYMNTS.com
By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions. Bloomberg reported on Feb. 5 that Apple has wound down the initiative,
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Apple delays AI Health Coach, shifts focus to Health App features: Report
Apple is scaling back its plans for a virtual AI-based health coach, according to people familiar with the matter. The initiative, code-named Mulberry, was recently wound down, with Apple now planning to release select features individually over time within its Health app, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman
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Apple has wound down Project Mulberry, its ambitious AI-powered health coach initiative, following a leadership shift that placed services chief Eddy Cue over the health division. Instead of launching a comprehensive Health+ service, Apple will release individual features over time within its Health app as it rethinks its approach to competing with Oura, Whoop, and OpenAI's ChatGPT Health.
Apple Abandons Comprehensive AI Health Coach Launch
Apple has scaled back its ambitious plans for an AI health coach, code-named Project Mulberry, according to Bloomberg reports citing sources familiar with the matter
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. The initiative, which was wound down in recent weeks, represented a significant shift in how Apple approaches wellness services and health technology3
. Rather than launching a unified virtual health coach service, Apple will now introduce individual features gradually within its existing Health app1
.
Source: 9to5Mac
The AI-powered health coach, internally referred to as Health+, was designed to deliver personalized guidance by combining health data from Apple Watch and iPhone with external lab reports
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. The system aimed to generate detailed health reports and provide AI-driven recommendations to help users improve their well-being3
. For instance, if a device tracked a potential heart issue, the AI doctor would serve explanatory videos about heart disease risks and chart appropriate diet and exercise plans2
.
Source: Macworld
Leadership Change Drives Strategic Pivot
The decision to scale back Project Mulberry followed a significant leadership change within Apple's health organization. Services chief Eddy Cue took control of the health and fitness teams after longtime executive Jeff Williams retired at the end of last year
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. Cue has told colleagues that Apple needs to move faster and be more competitive in health, expressing concerns that newer rivals like Oura and Whoop offer more compelling and useful features through their iPhone apps3
.The longtime Apple executive didn't believe the company's existing plan for the health service met competitive standards
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. This assessment reflects growing pressure from competitors pushing into the health space, including tech giants like Google and OpenAI, which recently launched ChatGPT Health1
. Cue is also considering changes to Apple Fitness+, the $9.99-per-month competitor to Peloton's app that offers guided workouts3
.
Source: CNET
What Features Will Still Emerge
Despite scaling back plans for a unified service, Apple will repurpose much of the work completed for Project Mulberry. The company built a content studio in Oakland, California, to produce videos explaining medical conditions, training plans, and wellness education
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. This video content and capabilities such as suggestions based on existing user data will be introduced as early as this year2
.Another feature still in development involves using an iPhone camera to analyze and evaluate how a person walks
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. The project originally aimed to help users track food and correct workout forms using their iPhone's camera, as well as recommend lifestyle changes based on health data4
.Related Stories
AI Chatbot for Health Queries in Development
Apple is working on an AI chatbot that would allow users to ask questions about their well-being, drawing on an internal system known as World Knowledge Answers—technology designed to rival Google's Gemini-powered search results and apps like Perplexity
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. This represents an interim solution, as Apple's longer-term goal involves integrating a new Siri chatbot, set to debut later this year with iOS 27, to support more advanced health-related queries across the Health app and its operating systems3
.The shift matters because Apple has primarily focused on detection features—such as sleep-apnea detection and hypertension notifications—that flag potential conditions rather than help users actively manage them
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. The AI health coach represented a move toward proactive health management, making its scaling back a notable strategic retreat in the face of intensifying competition from both established fitness platforms and emerging AI-driven wellness services.References
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