On a beach in North Tyneside, fitness instructor David Fairlamb is putting around 40 people of all ages through their paces in a group training session.
He has worked in the fitness industry for 30 years – long before social media, let alone artificial intelligence.
Fairlamb, 54, believes AI has its place in fitness programs and nutrition, but he says it can’t completely replace real-life coaching.
“You can’t beat that real person, that real connection, that accountability,” he says.
When AI-generated ads are shown that violate advertising rules, the response is immediate.
“It’s very wrong. It’s very confusing. And it’s very worrying for young children,” he says.
“These ads talk about 28-day transformations. I’ve been doing this for 30 years and I’m telling you now – it doesn’t happen. You don’t have a chance.”
Fairlamb recently started working with her 25-year-old daughter, Georgia Siebenga, who says even people who grew up around social media struggle to tell what’s real.
“Sometimes I question it myself,” she says. “Some of them, you can’t really tell.”
Both worry that constant exposure to idealized, artificial bodies could damage self-confidence – especially in young people.
“They think ‘I can look like that in 30 days’,” says Fairlamb. “But that body may not even be real. For young boys, for their mental health, it’s really worrying.”
Cybenga also cautions that AI-generated fitness programs don’t have the full picture.
“It doesn’t take into account injuries or health conditions, so…you could injure yourself,” she says.