Smart Gyms

Artificial intelligence is no longer just a support tool in China’s sports sector. It is increasingly shaping how gyms train users, how venues are managed, and how sports events are organized. The shift is being driven by two priorities that matter most to operators: lower costs and a better user experience. As AI spreads across the industry, the business model is moving from providing facilities alone to managing sports activity with greater precision. Gym training is becoming more personal In China’s fitness market, personalized AI-based training is now moving into the mainstream. Shuhua Sports, a supplier of fitness equipment for the Chinese Olympic Committee, has launched an AI gym solution to meet demand for more scientific workouts. The system collects users’ cardiopulmonary data through smart treadmills and measures muscle strength with digital testing devices. The results are sent in real time to a phone mini-program for pre-workout evaluation, AI-generated plans, in-session guidance, and adjustments based on performance. Shi Yong, vice president of Shuhua Sports, said the solution works like a digital personal trainer at a lower cost. He said it can generate different workout plans for each user while helping gym operators adjust their strategies more flexibly. AI adoption in fitness is also extending beyond a single type of equipment. Several domestic manufacturers are developing products for different user groups and more specific needs. Impulse Fitness, based in Qingdao, has developed a smart stair climber for professional training. Ease Future in Hangzhou has built a massage robot to relieve post-exercise pain, while Suzhou Qiber has combined a fitness bike with interactive gaming. Venues are becoming operating platforms Major changes are also taking place in sports venue management. AI is now becoming an integral part of the development and day-to-day operation of sports facilities, including small-scale upgrades at public venues across China. Metaspace, a company that makes air-supported domes, has built an AI management framework for sports venues. Its algorithm-based system can adjust indoor environmental conditions in real time, automate equipment maintenance, and reduce energy consumption. The same smart platform is also used to analyze visitor flow, improve customer service, and manage consumption. That means venue operators are no longer only watching over buildings, but also reading user behavior and facility usage patterns. Chen Liangfeng, a senior engineer at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said the core change for stadiums is the shift from simply renting out facilities to managing users’ sports activity. He noted that future competitiveness will depend not only on advanced hardware, but on the ability to understand customers in a practical way. That view reflects a new direction for China’s sports industry. Venues are increasingly being treated as living service platforms rather than static places to play or train. Events are being run with a lighter footprint AI is also redefining how sports competitions are designed and executed. Digitalization is allowing organizers to cut costs, speed up processes, and deliver a smoother experience for both participants and audiences. Li Chungang, deputy director of the sports tourism committee at the China National Parks and Scenic Sites Association, has introduced a smart event system for road races, cycling, and orienteering. The digital platform includes a distributed real-time timing module. According to Li, the system helps reduce costs while making race operations easier. Lijiang Old Town has already adopted it to support offline attendance recording and real-time online rankings, allowing smaller sports events to be held throughout the year. At a broader level, AI use in sports events is also visible in international examples. Cui Yixiong, a lecturer at the School of Sports Engineering at Beijing Sport University, pointed to bullet-time recording technology used at the Paris 2024 Olympics and the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, as well as AI-based multilingual television advertising at UEFA Euro 2024. Those examples show that AI is not just a backstage tool. It is starting to shape how sports events are produced, broadcast, and consumed by increasingly diverse audiences. Cui said tournaments can build a digital ecosystem that continues to grow on its own. He added that this depends on deeper cross-industry collaboration among organizers, technology providers, broadcasters, and sports data companies. At the industry level, the impact is becoming broader. Luo Jie, vice chairman and secretary-general of the China Sporting Goods Federation, said AI has entered every layer of China’s sports industry and has shifted from an optional add-on to a necessary engine for boosting sports consumption and reshaping the domestic sports landscape. The same pattern is now visible across fitness, venues, and events. AI is being used to read data faster, tailor services more accurately, and run operations more efficiently.

AI Is Reshaping China’s Sports Industry, from Smarter Gyms to Leaner Events