How our coaches work

A coach with one job, and clear limits.

AI has been getting a lot of attention, not all of it good. So here's exactly what a Twikka coach is, what it does with what you tell it, and what it will never do.

In short

  • What they know comes from the evidence, chosen and reviewed by our health professionals.
  • They ask a few things about you to tailor the coaching. You can skip any of them.
  • Mention any health condition and they'll suggest checking with your doctor. They never diagnose or suggest treatment.
  • They remember what you tell them, so the coaching builds over time.
  • They see your steps and workouts only if you connect Apple Health or Health Connect.
  • They can't reach anything on your phone or computer, and they only coach.
  • Your information is never sold or used for advertising.

Where does a coach's knowledge come from?

From Twikka's own knowledge base, built from reputable sources such as World Health Organization guidelines and peer-reviewed research. Our health professionals choose what goes in, review it, and keep it up to date.

They also write the coaches' rules: how to pitch suggestions to where you are, when to stop and point you elsewhere, and what never to say. We test the coaches against these rules as we develop them.

The coaches run on large AI models from Google, Anthropic and OpenAI. Those models write the words; we decide what the coaches know and how they behave.

What will my coach ask me, and why?

Only what helps it coach you. Over your first conversations it may ask about:

  • your age and gender, because what's sensible varies with both
  • how active you are now, and what you've done before
  • any health problem or injury that affects what you can do
  • what you'd like to get out of it

You don't have to answer any of it. Say you'd rather not, and your coach won't ask again. Its suggestions will just be a little more general.

What happens if I mention a health condition?

Your coach will suggest you check with your doctor or physio before starting or changing what you do. It does this for any condition you mention, not just serious ones.

It will also keep its suggestions suited to you: lower-impact options if you have arthritis or knee pain, for example.

It never diagnoses, and never suggests treatment, medication or supplements. If you mention pain, it tells you when it would be worth getting checked.

Does my coach remember what I tell it?

Yes. It keeps notes on what you've told it, your goals and your activity, so you don't have to repeat yourself and it can see how you're progressing.

Those notes are used only for your coaching. If you delete your account, they're deleted with it.

What does my coach connect to?

Only what you allow. If you connect Apple Health (iPhone) or Health Connect (Android), your coach can see your steps and workouts, so it can notice what you've done without you having to log it.

It doesn't read your location. You can disconnect at any time in your phone's settings, and your coach carries on without it.

What can't my coach do?

A Twikka coach lives inside the Twikka app, and coaching is all it does.

  • It can't access your phone or computer: not your files, photos, contacts, messages or other apps.
  • It doesn't browse the web, buy things, or act on your behalf anywhere.
  • It isn't a general chatbot, a therapist or a medical adviser.

What happens to my information?

It's used to coach you and to run Twikka, and nothing else. We never sell it, never use it for advertising, and never give it to anyone to use for their own purposes.

To work, Twikka relies on a few services, such as our database host and the AI models that write your coach's replies. They process your information only for us, under contracts that stop them using it for anything else, including training their AI models.

Your first name and email are used to sign you in and to send you notifications you've asked for. Delete your account, and everything is deleted within 30 days.

Read the full privacy policy

What if something sounds serious?

If a message suggests you might be in danger, such as a medical emergency or a mental-health crisis, your coach tells you to get help straight away and gives you the right numbers for where you are.

Those conversations are flagged, and a small number of trained people on our team may read them, only to check you were given the right help and to improve how Twikka responds. Nobody reads your conversations otherwise, and nothing is monitored in real time.

Is my coach a real person?

No. Each coach is an AI with its own character, made by the Twikka team. Ask, and it will tell you so, in its own voice. It will never pretend otherwise.

Questions we haven't answered?

Ask us. We'd rather you knew exactly what you're signing up for.

How our coaches work | Twikka