The AI fitness instructors selling unreal gains

On a beach in North Tyneside, fitness instructor David Fairlamb is putting nearly 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 programmes and nutrition, but says it cannot fully replace real-life coaching.

“You cannot beat that real person, that real connection, the accountability,” he says.

When shown the AI‑generated adverts that breached advertising rules, his reaction is immediate.

“It’s so wrong. It’s so misleading. And it’s so worrying for younger kids,” he says.

“These ads talk about 28‑day transformations. I’ve been doing this for 30 years and I’m telling you now – that just doesn’t happen. You’ve got no chance.”

Fairlamb recently started working alongside his daughter Georgia Sybenga, 25, who says even people who grew up around social media struggle to tell what is real.

“Sometimes I question it myself,” she says. “Some of them, you really can’t tell.”

Both worry a constant exposure to idealised, artificial bodies can damage confidence – particularly among young people.

“They think ‘I could look like that in 30 days’,” Fairlamb says. “But that body might not even be real. For young lads, for their mental health, it’s really concerning.”

Sybenga also warns AI‑generated fitness programmes do not have the full picture.

“It doesn’t take into consideration injuries or health conditions, so… you could injure yourself,” she says.