AI is driving the future of fitness, and companies like Peloton are leveraging the technology to enhance products and improve experiences for users. But what role will AI and data play in the future of at-home and connected fitness, and how it will increasingly shape the landscape? It's hard to justify paying $2,300 for a smart exercise bike. Luckily, there are a few alternatives to Peloton available. Peloton Guide (Peloton's first connected strength device) is a good case study.

Although Peloton already puts cameras in its exercise bikes and treadmills, the new Peloton Guide, which is finally available after being first announced in November, is the company's first camera-specific device that uses AI-powered motion tracking to monitor your form and routines while you work out from home. There are a few notable changes between the version of the Peloton Guide that was announced late last year and the version that's finally now available--at least in the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia to start. The steep $495 price tag, which actually made the Guide one of the most affordable products Peloton offers, has dropped to just $295. Part of the pricing change no doubt comes from the company's attempts to lure new users while people slowly return to gyms as the world has seemingly stopped caring about the ongoing pandemic. But the original version of the Peloton Guide was also going to include an armband heart monitor which is now an optional $90 add-on. It can also be purchased in a pricier $545 bundle with three sets of dumbbells and a mat for users not already equipped for strength training at home.

Peloton's fitness ambitions go far beyond treadmills and stationary bikes. Its next product is the Peloton Guide, a strength-training camera system that hooks up to your TV and uses machine learning to understand your movements. The movement tracker feature is compatible with hundreds of Peloton strength classes. The idea is to encourage users to carry out all of the exercises in a class and keep up with instructors (but it's not a big deal if you can't stick to the instructor's pace). The Self Mode will enable users to match their form against the instructor's in real-time via smart camera technology.