Apple Scales Back Ambitious AI Health Coach Initiative
Apple has reportedly scaled back its plans for Project Mulberry, an AI-powered health coaching service internally known as Health+, according to reporting from Bloomberg. The decision marks a significant retreat from what was positioned as one of the company’s most ambitious artificial intelligence initiatives and signals broader challenges within Apple’s health technology division.
What Was Project Mulberry?
The health coach service had been in development for several years as a premium offering that would leverage data from the Apple Watch, iPhone, and other devices to deliver personalized wellness recommendations. The service was envisioned as a virtual nutritionist, fitness trainer, and sleep consultant rolled into one — powered by the same class of large language models fueling the generative AI revolution across Silicon Valley.
Apple had invested heavily in the project, building a studio in Oakland, California, to produce educational video content featuring medical experts including sleep specialists, nutritionists, physical therapists, mental health professionals, and cardiologists. The service was originally slated to be introduced alongside iOS 26.
Why Apple Pulled Back
According to sources cited by Bloomberg, the scaling back is not a complete cancellation but rather a significant reduction in initial scope. Features originally planned for the first release — including real-time dietary coaching, mental health check-ins, and integration with third-party medical providers — have been either delayed or removed from the near-term roadmap.
Apple’s internal testing revealed significant challenges with the reliability and accuracy of AI-generated health recommendations. In healthcare contexts where incorrect advice could cause genuine harm — such as suggesting an inappropriate exercise regimen for someone with a heart condition or providing dietary guidance that conflicts with medications — the margin for error is essentially zero.
The scaling back also reflects organizational changes at Apple. Services chief Eddy Cue, who recently took oversight of the health and fitness teams following longtime COO Jeff Williams’s retirement, wasn’t convinced that the company’s plans for a new health service were compelling enough compared to competing offerings. Cue reportedly indicated that newer rivals — including Oura Health and Whoop — offer more compelling and useful features, particularly through their iPhone apps.
What Comes Next
A more limited version of the service could still launch later this year, potentially as a feature within the existing Health app rather than as a standalone subscription product. What remains is a more modest version focused primarily on fitness and activity tracking insights, capabilities that already exist in rudimentary form within the current Apple Watch ecosystem.
Broader Implications for Apple’s Health Strategy
For Tim Cook, who has repeatedly stated that Apple’s greatest contribution to mankind will be in health, the scaling back of the AI health coach is a reminder that ambition and execution do not always move at the same speed. The retreat reflects the practical limitations of deploying artificial intelligence in regulated health domains and Apple’s traditional commitment to product quality over rapid feature deployment.