Apple’s Workout Buddy sounds smart - but I’m not convinced it’s the motivation boost we need

If you’re an Apple Watch user, you probably saw that Apple recently unveiled Workout Buddy as part of its watchOS 26 announcement.

For those who don’t know, it’s the brand’s all-new personal AI coach feature that aims to bring a bit of extra motivation to your wrist.

Powered by Apple Intelligence, it uses your own fitness data to offer real-time coaching mid-workout, with voice feedback that’s modelled on actual Apple Fitness+ trainers. It’ll tell you when you’re hitting your stride, when to push, and when to ease off - all based on your heart rate, pace, and previous sessions. It’s the kind of integration that could quietly nudge you to do more, train smarter, or just keep going when your legs start to feel like jelly.

But while it might sound like a clever step forward on paper, the more I think about it, the more I’m not completely sold on the idea.

Not everyone wants a cheerleader on their wrist

And that’s not because I think it’s badly designed or poorly thought out, but because I’m not sure if it solves the real problem, or even speaks to how motivation actually works for most people.

Motivation isn’t just about data and delivery. I get that a mid-run nudge like “you’re on track to beat last week’s time” might be helpful for some. But for others (myself included), that can feel more like pressure, which manifests as stress, than encouragement.

When I’m out for a run, especially after a long day, I usually just need escapism, and sometimes that means I don’t want to hear anything at all - especially an overly encouraging robot feeding me cheesy American one-liners like “you got this!”. At most, I want nothing but my favourite tunes blasted down my ear canals, thank you very much.

And that’s where Workout Buddy might struggle. It’s clever, yes, and it pulls in everything from your fitness milestones to your training load, tailoring its feedback accordingly. But it’s still coming from a watch. From AI. From something that doesn’t actually know why I skipped my last few sessions or why I’m struggling today, or that I’m just going out to move my legs for a bit because it’s “better than nothing at all”. That context is human, and it’s something that isn’t easily recreated with algorithms.

There’s also the novelty factor. I’ve used similar AI fitness coaching apps before, and while they’re fun at first, the novelty soon wears off. You start ignoring the voice, even just to spite it. Or worse, getting irritated by it and telling it where to go, like a totally sane person.

And just to be clear - this isn't an excuse to have a dig at Apple - it’s just how, in my experience as a tech journalist review gadgets over the years, I've found features like this tend to go.

A helpful nudge - or just another gimmick?

Don’t get me wrong, I can still see the appeal. If it helps someone push that bit further or lace up more often, then great. But let’s not pretend it’s a one-size-fits-all fix.

I think for many people, motivation isn’t about hearing the right thing at the right moment. It’s about building habits, balancing fitness with the crazy stuff that life throws at you, and sometimes just showing up - even if that’s just a shameful hungover waddle around the block. And no matter how good Workout Buddy sounds, I’m not sure any watch - no matter how smart - can truly coach you through that.

I can, however, see how the feature could be useful for some people. If the AI gets the tone right - encouraging without being overbearing, corny or cliché - and adapts over time based on how you actually respond to feedback - it could quietly become a helpful tool in people’s routines. Especially for newer runners or anyone getting back into fitness, a bit of well-timed, personalised encouragement could be just enough to keep you going when motivation’s flagging.

Whether that turns into long-term behavioural change, though, is something only time will tell. We’ll have to see if Workout Buddy will become something that sticks, or just another fitness gimmick.

watchOS 26 will roll out this autumn as a free update for Apple Watch Series 6 and later.