Working out alone can be tough, but Apple’s got a perky, new AI-powered friend to cheer you on.

Apple says its Workout Buddy feature for Apple Watch will provide both positive encouragement in the form of a friendly voice and real-time data analysis to help athletes of all kinds get through their workouts.

While some athletes might not be excited about the idea of being subjected to an AI cheerleader during a tough run or other training, providing deeper and real-time workout analysis could bring Apple Watches and Apple Fitness more in line with the offerings of fitness-focused smartwatch maker Garmin and third-party fitness apps like Strava. Both of those companies already boast artificial intelligence-powered training features.

Workout Buddy, announced Monday at the company’s WWDC 2025 keynote event, uses Apple Intelligence to analyze an Apple Watch user’s previous workout history — including paces run, miles logged and how often they close their Apple Fitness rings — to determine exactly what kind of encouragement they might need. Once the workout starts, data from it will be combined with all of that to provide real-time insights, Apple says.

Apple says a new text-to-speech model will translate all of that into a “dynamic, generative voice.” The model is built using voice data from a human Apple Fitness Plus trainer, which the company says will give it the “right energy style and tone” for a given workout. Users can choose between several different voices.

The Workout Buddy voice will kick off workouts with a positive pep talk, then provide encouragement and stats, like heart rate and pace along the way. At the end, workouts will be capped with both more encouragement and final stats. It might say phrases like “Great job!” or “You crushed it!” or note achievements like a runner’s first 10K.

Workout Buddy will be available on Apple Watch with Bluetooth headphones and will require an Apple Intelligence-supported iPhone. It will first be available in English and compatible with Apple Watch workout types including running, walking, cycling and strength training.