Apple Watch’s Workout Buddy is an AI coach that talks you through workouts

watchOS 26 is here, and it brings

Workout Buddy

, Apple’s first-of-its-kind

AI fitness coach

that lives right on your wrist and speaks directly into your ears. Building on Apple Intelligence, this generative voice trainer uses your workout data and fitness history to deliver real-time motivation during exercise sessions. Workout Buddy taps into everything from your heart rate and pace to your Activity rings and personal milestones, then translates that data into personalized pep talks. “Way to get out for your run this Wednesday morning. You’re 18 minutes away from closing your Exercise ring,” it might say as you start a workout. During runs, it’ll call out mile splits and celebrate achievements like crossing your 200-mile mark for the year.

The AI coach uses a text-to-speech model built from actual Fitness+ trainer voices, so it sounds like a real fitness instructor with the right energy and tone. Users can pick from multiple voices to find their perfect match. When workouts end, Workout Buddy recaps your stats and achievements, asking “What will you do next?”

Available starting in English across popular workout types like outdoor runs, indoor walks, cycling, HIIT, and strength training, Workout Buddy requires an Apple Intelligence-supported iPhone nearby and Bluetooth headphones.The Workout app itself gets its biggest redesign since launch, with four corner buttons for quick access to features like Custom Workout and Race Route. New media integration lets Apple Music automatically select playlists based on workout type and personal taste, while podcast suggestions adapt to your listening history for specific exercises. As Apple emphasized throughout WWDC, all processing remains “personal and private” on device.