On Intentionality and Health in the Age of AI
Written and reviewed by Scott Mongold, PhD — Co-Founder & CSO (Biomechanics & Neurophysiology, ULB).
Technology 5 min readKey takeaways
- Heavy AI use correlates with reduced critical thinking and creates an illusion of competence while we actually think less.
- Fitness tracking often pulls us out of our bodies and into data, chasing better numbers without asking what 'better' means.
- Understanding your nervous system—how you respond to training, recover, and perform—matters more than collecting data from wearables.
The Autopilot Problem
It feels like we're increasingly just going through the motions. Every day, we catch ourselves doing things without stopping to ask why.
Do I really need to ask ChatGPT this, or could I figure it out myself? Why am I choosing this workout over that one? Am I scrolling on LinkedIn because there's something I want to see, or just because my phone is in my hand?
Technology is making it easier to do without thinking.
Research is showing that heavy AI use correlates with reduced critical thinking (read more). Even more concerning: AI tools let us produce impressive (and fast) results with minimal effort, which tricks us into thinking we're more capable than we actually are. We feel smart while we're actually thinking less. Don’t take our word for it though, check with the experts.
The Fitness Tracking Paradox
Nowhere is this clearer than in health and fitness.
Your watch buzzes: "You're only 400 steps away from your goal!" So you pace around your living room before bed, walking in circles for no reason except to close a ring on your phone.
You're not really running, you're watching your pace. The constant monitoring pulls you out of your body and into the data.
The market for wearables is exploding. And, it's not only wearables. Full-body MRIs for healthy people. Monthly blood panels. Continuous glucose monitors for non-diabetics. More sensors, more data, more dashboards.
What are we trying to achieve (we should really be asking ourselves this)? And is the measuring actually helping us get there, or just giving us more things to be anxious about and spend money on?
We're not saying these tools are useless. They can be valuable, when used with a clear purpose. We're chasing better numbers instead of asking what "better" even means.
What Deserves Your Attention?
Some things should be automatic…paying bills, no doubt. But the things that actually matter (i.e. your health and fitness)? Those need you to show up.
How you move your body. Whether you're actually recovering or just accumulating fatigue. What your energy levels are telling you about how you're living. These require attention, not just data collection.
That’s why we’re building umo.
We think in order to be truly healthy, we need to understand our nervous system. Your nervous system controls how you respond to training, how you recover, and how you perform. But most people have no idea what it's telling them. We track steps, heart rate, and sleep scores, but miss the underlying system that determines whether any of that training is actually moving us towards real wellness.
The goal isn't collecting data. It's understanding your body well enough to do something about it. When you know what your nervous system is saying, you can make informed choices about training, sleep, and how you live.
Frequently asked questions
Why is constant fitness tracking problematic?
Constant monitoring pulls you out of your body and into the data. You end up chasing better numbers instead of asking what 'better' even means for your actual health.
What does the nervous system control in training?
Your nervous system controls how you respond to training, how you recover, and how you perform. Understanding it helps you make informed choices about training and sleep.
Are wearables and health tracking tools useless?
No, these tools can be valuable when used with a clear purpose. The problem is using them without asking what you're trying to achieve or whether measuring is actually helping.
What should I pay attention to instead of just data?
Pay attention to how you move your body, whether you're actually recovering or accumulating fatigue, and what your energy levels tell you about how you're living.