Vitality has announced the full launch of personalised step targets, through Vitality AI, aimed at improving the health of low-activity members.
The new personalised steps programme uses data and science to tailor a lower daily step threshold for members, incentivising them to take some steps. It then increases this activity threshold over time using Vitality’s insight into habit formation and lasting behaviour change.
AI is used to identify eligible members who have a linked activity-tracking device but show low engagement with Active Rewards and limited recent physical activity. These members are then invited to follow personalised step targets and receive tailored guidance within the app. Since trial launch, more than 10,000 Vitality members have enrolled.
The introduction of personalised steps to the wider membership base follows an initial trial, which indicated a clear increase in engagement and activity for those who were enrolled onto the trial programme. Those members achieving 5,000 steps less than once a week, increased this to nearly three times per week on average – equivalent to two additional active days.
Follow-up analysis of the trial demonstrated sustained impact beyond the trial, with the least engaged cohorts seeing a 73% rise in activity revealing lasting change in the physical activity of participants.
Emile Stipp, CEO at Vitality AI, said: “Our initial trial of personalised steps gave us a clear signal: personalisation works. We saw that members who were active less than once a week nearly tripled their engagement, with this physical exercise becoming a formed habit that lasted long after the trial ended.
“When you see change like this, and see it last, you have a responsibility to bring it to more people and that’s exactly why we’re rolling personalised steps out to our wider membership.
“Personalised Steps is just one example of how we’re applying AI to create more tailored health journeys. As we continue to test and refine the programme, we’ll explore how personalised support can be introduced earlier in the member journey to help build long-term engagement with healthy habits.”
