The Intelligent Fitness Operator: Thriving in the Age of AI
The fitness industry is changing fast, and AI is leading the charge, shaping how we work, plan, and communicate. 72% of business leaders say it will be their most significant competitive advantage in the next decade.
ABC Fitness’s latest webinar, The Intelligent Fitness Operator: Thriving in the Age of AI, brought together industry leaders to discuss how operators are already using AI and how it’s being built into every touchpoint of the member journey.
Speakers included:
- Lacy Ford, Chief Marketing Officer, ABC Fitness
- Oliver Merrick, Chief Business Officer, ABC Fitness
- Mo Ekbal, Chief Strategy Officer, ABC Fitness
- Lee Robinson, Head of Sales, ABC Fitness
How Fitness Industry Experts Use AI Daily
“AI isn’t the future of work; it’s the infrastructure of it.” That’s how Mo Ekbal, Chief Strategy Officer at ABC Fitness, framed it. Nearly every business function now has some kind of AI layer built in, and the pace is accelerating fast. With ChatGPT hitting 100 million users in eight weeks, the companies that learn the fastest will be the ones that lead.
For Mo, AI has become part of his daily rhythm.
He uses Microsoft Copilot to pull insights from hundreds of emails and meeting transcripts, Perplexity for quick, verified research, and ChatGPT as a partner to shape and refine LinkedIn posts.
He estimates these tools save him close to eight hours a week.
Oliver Merrick, Chief Business Officer at ABC Fitness, sees it the same way. He uses AI as a “thought partner” to brainstorm, structure ideas, and figure out how to measure the real impact of AI adoption across the company.
Lastly, Lee Robinson, Head of Sales at ABC Fitness, likes to break AI use into simple buckets:
- Q&A tools for everyday problem-solving.
- Research and content creation to speed up marketing and outreach.
- Forecasting and modeling to understand revenue and margins.
- Automation and streamlining, where AI removes friction and gives people back time to focus on members.
“Ultimately, that’s what matters (with AI use), freeing up your team to spend more time with customers, not screens.”– Lee Robinson, Head of Sales, ABC Fitness.
Download Now: Wellness Watch: ABC Fitness Industry Insights Report Fall 2025
Top 6 Key Risks and Challenges of AI Adoption for Fitness Operators
AI can create real business value, but only when it’s built on the right foundation.
Oliver said the best way to start is simple: “Focus on the business impact first, then work backward.”
During the webinar, the panel outlined four major challenges most operators face today:
- Legacy systems: Many clubs still use complex, outdated infrastructures that make AI adoption difficult.
- Siloed data: Information across different tools and platforms remains fragmented. If your data is siloed, you’ll never get the full value from AI.
- Ethics and compliance: Security, privacy, and responsible use are now part of the job. ABC Fitness is very conscious of our obligations from a security, privacy, and AI ethics perspective.
- Unused data: As Lee explained, “AI isn’t new, it’s already in your world, from hotel chatbots to gym memberships. The real challenge is how you capture and use the right data.”
How the Fitness Industry Is Adapting — or Failing to Adapt — to AI
The fitness industry has always been driven by passion, energy, and community, but not as much by data.
Mo described it this way: “We’ve done a great job at optimizing the physical experience, better lighting, better music, better classes, but the intelligence layer that connects it all has been missing.”
That’s starting to change. Early adopters are already using AI to forecast class demand, predict churn, and even automate personalized outreach, sometimes through voice.
But adoption remains uneven. What needs to change for those who feel behind is mostly mindset, not just budget.
The operators thriving today are the ones starting to use AI like a teammate, not a threat, to experiment, to learn, and to move forward alongside industry leaders.
Some of the ways they can start are in the areas where AI makes the most significant difference:
- Move from acquisition to retention: Use AI not only to get people through the door but to help them stay.
- Use data for personalization: Gather and analyze behavior patterns to send timely nudges that reflect when and how members like to train.
“The first 90 days decide whether someone stays or leaves. If you track their habits, preferences, and timing, you can personalize their experience and keep them longer. But for years, we’ve been throwing that data by the wayside.” – Lee Robinson, Head of Sales, ABC Fitness.
Free Resource: Member Experience for Gym Retention
Where AI Shows the Strongest ROI & Where to Start: ABC Fitness AI Pilots
When it comes to AI, returns can scale quickly if you know where to look. Lee offered a simple rule of thumb: ”For every dollar spent on AI, aim for a 10x return.”
He pointed to Forma Gym, which is beta testing the Trainerize AI Workout Builder. Every new member receives a customized 90-day plan because the six-week and 90-day marks are the highest risk for drop-off.
At a $150 monthly price point, even a small improvement in retention can compound into significant long-term gains.
The system also eliminates one of the most significant barriers for members: decision fatigue. “AI removes the thinking friction of ‘what am I going to do today,’” Robinson explained. “It aligns workouts to each member’s habits, goals, timing, and preferences.”
Mo added that AI’s most significant impact is in removing friction for both members and operators.
Within ABC Trainerize, AI is already integrated into coaching and engagement to analyze behavior patterns and automatically suggest adjustments to help clients keep progressing. Those small, personalized nudges, he said, have an outsized effect on retention.
He also pointed to partnerships that bring personalization into the physical space.
ABC Fitness is working with EGYM and its connected equipment ecosystem, which integrates with EGYM Genius.
These integrations localize workout recommendations based on the specific equipment in each gym, bringing personalization from concept to real-world experience.
Lee also noted that Gen Z members are already creating their own prompts and workout programs through AI tools like ChatGPT.
“(Gen Z) They’re coming in with expectations. It’s up to operators to provide that service, wrap it into their memberships, and use it to keep members engaged.” – Lee Robinson, Head of Sales, ABC Fitness
Free Resource: Attract Gen Z to Your Fitness Business: The Ultimate Guide
3 Barriers to Scaling AI in the Fitness Industry
Mo explained that true adoption happens when AI becomes part of everyday operations, not an extra layer sitting on top of them.
He suggested three key questions for any operator evaluating AI partners:
- Is my data unified and accessible? If not, AI will struggle to deliver accurate insights.
- Is intelligence embedded in my workflow, not just sitting on top of it? It has to fit naturally into your team’s existing workflow.
- Does this tool help me take action, or just visualize insights? Real value comes from systems that guide decisions, not just display data.
He also cautioned that scaling AI takes time. Barriers like data integration, talent, and mindset are common, and so is the perception that cost outweighs benefit. “AI ROI compounds over time,” he noted, “so think beyond short-term wins.”
Lee emphasized that success depends on people as much as technology.
Decide who operates AI day to day, whether that’s a manager, trainer, or front desk team, and equip them with prompts, clear goals, and ways to measure success.
He shared that ABC Fitness hosted a company-wide hackathon where every employee could experiment, fail, and build something AI-driven to improve their own workflows. The goal was simple: help teams see how AI gives them time back to focus on people.
Lastly, Oliver added that every rollout should start with business value and complexity. Encourage teams to share ideas, test use cases, and build a network of AI champions who can surface the most relevant opportunities inside each department.
Watch the full webinar on demand: The Intelligent Fitness Operator: Thriving in the Age of AI
What ABC Fitness Is Doing with AI & What’s Next
ABC Fitness is taking a two-pronged approach to AI, transforming both its products and its internal operations.
Oliver explained that the company is integrating AI “at nearly every touch point” across the customer and member journey, from acquisition to retention.
Internally, AI is also being used to scale software development and expand the company’s capacity to deliver high-quality products faster.
Lacy and Mo added that this is just the beginning. ABC Fitness will continue to announce new use cases and share education through upcoming webinars and learning sessions.
The company has also opened its APIs so third-party partners can build directly on its ecosystem, further extending innovation and integration possibilities for fitness businesses of all sizes.
#1: How Do You Build Trust and Transparency in AI?
Trust is the currency of AI. Accuracy matters, but accountability matters more. Building explainable systems and maintaining human oversight ensures operators stay in control. Without trust, AI is just automation. With trust, it becomes transformation.
ABC Fitness builds its AI on clean, compliant, and privacy-protected member data. Members should always understand how their data is used and see a direct benefit from it.
For example, ABC recently added water-intake tracking to its app in response to trainer feedback and member needs. When members see data translate into better programs, like shorter session options when their behavior trends toward half-hour visits, that’s when trust grows.
#2: With So Many AI Tools, Where Should Fitness Operators Start?
The best place to start is with what you already have. Mo advised operators to look first at existing vendors, most of which already include some form of intelligence layer. Real transformation comes from integration, not adding disconnected tools.
According to Lee, you should always start with outcomes: define the result you want, then identify which partners in your current stack can help you achieve it.
Oliver, on the other hand, added that the key is balance, maintain strong, reliable infrastructure partners who manage your data and processes, while giving teams the freedom to experiment with new tools on top.
AI in Fitness: Practical Starting Points
To make AI work as a gym operator, start small and focus on impact. The panel shared a few simple but powerful first steps:
- Define one retention outcome tied to the first 90 days, and identify which signals you can track right now.
- Unify your minimum viable data set and embed intelligence directly into the tools your staff already uses.
- Measure one compounding KPI and clearly define what success looks like before you roll out.
- Run a lightweight hackathon or create AI champions within your team to surface prompts, playbooks, and quick wins.
- Apply the 10x ROI lens; if an AI project can’t compound its return over time, it’s not worth the investment.
AI should amplify the human connection, not replace it. It’s only as powerful as the data behind it. With insights from more than 40 million members, ABC Fitness is using AI to make every interaction smarter, faster, and more personal, while continuing to expand education, partnerships, and integrations across its ecosystem.
Learn how leading operators are using AI today. Watch the on-demand webinar and take the next step toward an intelligent fitness business.