BBC Investigation Finds Misleading AI Fitness App Adverts

A BBC Sport investigation has identified misleading advertisements for fitness apps that use AI-generated instructors. The adverts feature claims of dramatic body transformations within short timeframes, including looking 20 years younger in a month or losing 40 pounds in 28 days.

Many of the adverts did not make clear that the people shown were not real. The investigation found that once users engage with exercise content on social media, algorithms quickly fill their feeds with similar material. The adverts often show before-and-after images and transformations that fitness professionals described as unrealistic in the stated periods.

The BBC contacted the companies behind several of the adverts but none responded.

AI-generated fitness content has increased significantly on social media in the past two years. An AI expert from the University of Salford said the trend is large and that people seeking health and fitness advice are drawn to such material. The expert added that unlike human influencers, AI characters can produce content without limit and users cannot opt out of seeing it.

The expert described the current regulatory environment for such advertising as a wild west and said some claims create false hope. The expert noted positive uses for AI but said unrealistic promises about rapid gains can be harmful. Social media companies told the BBC that AI-generated content should be labelled, but the investigation found multiple examples where disclaimers were hidden, unclear or absent.

The Advertising Standards Authority said it does not ban AI in advertising but assesses whether messages are misleading or likely to cause harm. The regulator reported receiving about 300 complaints involving AI-generated advertising in the past year, with the number rising.

It added that AI tools allow quick production of adverts, sometimes by those less familiar with the rules. The ASA issued advice notices to the advertisers identified by the BBC because the claims were unlikely to be substantiated and the companies had no prior complaints.

The regulator said a key part of its work is educating advertisers on their responsibilities when using AI tools. The ASA does not comment on specific cases and the BBC is not identifying the advertisers as a result. Fitness instructors interviewed by the BBC said real-life coaching provides accountability that AI cannot replace.

They stated that 28-day transformations of the type advertised do not occur and that constant exposure to idealised artificial bodies can affect confidence, particularly among young people. The instructors also noted that AI-generated programmes may not account for injuries or health conditions.

Meta and TikTok declined to comment on the BBC's findings. TikTok said it has labelled more than 1.3 billion AI-generated videos. Meta said it relies on indicators from other companies' creation tools to assess AI content. Users spoken to by the BBC said they would welcome the ability to opt out of AI-generated content entirely.