Garmin COO Brad Trenkle recently said the company’s AI in Connect+ has to stay authentic, and that TrainingPeaks is for people who want a human coach.
- Garmin announced on 22 July 2026 that it had bought TrainingPeaks and TrainHeroic, and Trenkle said then that the deal would expand access to “more authentic coaching experiences”.
- In November, he asserted that “any application of AI needs to keep a very keen sense of authenticity”, which he said covers Garmin’s internal processes as well as its products.
- He described Garmin as “a very engineering-focused company” that has been “very thoughtful and discerning” about AI.
- He said the TrainingPeaks purchase means “consumers who want to be able to engage with a human coach can do so through the TrainingPeaks platform”.
- He expects some people to want “simple, basic answers” about their data from AI, and others to want a human coach “for motivation, accountability”.
- Garmin’s AI label appears mostly on one feature, Active Intelligence, which writes plain-language summaries as part of the $6.99-a-month Connect+ subscription.
What it means for Garmin owners
The choice Trenkle describes is already on offer: an owner who wants a plain-language reading of their data can pay for Connect+, and an athlete who wants someone to set sessions and hold them to account can find a coach through TrainingPeaks.
He’s simply pointing out that Garmin is going to develop AI conservatively, probably towards simple questions. That is hardly what paying members want to hear about a subscription that many Garmin owners already dislike and consider overpriced.
The interesting word is “authentic”, which he used in July for TrainingPeaks and again in November for AI. You could take this as more human responses from AI, or simply an improvement of the TrainingPeaks offer around real human coaches.
However, it could also hint at one angle I covered when explaining why Garmin bought TrainingPeaks: TrainingPeaks is the only large-scale repository of training compliance and outcomes among higher-grade athletes. The authenticity could come from Garmin training a future Connect+ AI on that data, so it understands higher-grade athletes better and answers them like a human pro coach. That would also give members a better reason to pay.
Quick answers
Does Garmin use AI in the Connect app?
Garmin describes Active Intelligence in the Connect app as AI-powered. It writes plain-language summaries of health and training data, and it needs a Connect+ subscription.
Can a Garmin owner get a human coach through TrainingPeaks?
Yes, TrainingPeaks connects athletes with coaches, and Garmin now owns it. It remains a separate service from Connect+.
Related: Garmin confirms MIP is on borrowed time, which coaching platforms are still independent and Garmin AI – it’s fake.
Source and original research by: the5krunner and TechRadar.
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Last Updated on 8 November 2026 by tfk the5krunner
Small things I always use
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- Body Glide: The blue anti-chafe stick swimmers and runners carry. I use it.
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- Beet It Sport nitrate shots: Beetroot shots I take in the days before a race. I use them.
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Watches and sensors
- Polar H10: My daily driver for waking HRV.
- Polar Verity Sense: My backup arm-worn HR sensor.
- Nomad bedside charger: Charges my iPhone and Apple Watch overnight. I use it, and many of their bands.
- Train.Red: The best muscle oxygen sensor I’ve used.
- Tymewear: Accurate heart rate and reliable ventilatory zones. I use it to pace endurance rides over an hour.
- Garmin Forerunner 970: A pro-grade triathlon watch. I use this.
- Apple Watch Ultra 4: My daily smartwatch. No phone needed on rides.
- Garmin Fenix 9 Pro: I’ve just bought one.
On the bike
- Continental GP5000 for everyday riding, and Aero 111 on the front for special occasions.
- Helmets: Specialized S-Works Evade 3 for road riding, and Rudy Project Wing for TT-style races. I use both.
- Ravemen FR300: A front light that mounts under your Garmin or Wahoo. I use one.
- Ravemen FR1000: The light and the computer mount in one unit, so nothing else goes on the bars. Better than mine.
- Ravemen FR1500SE: 1,500 lumens hanging under your Garmin, for proper night rides.
- Ravemen FR1100SE: 1,100 lumens under your Garmin, and up to 46 hours on slow flash.
- Ravemen FR500: A brighter FR300 with the same mount.
- Wahoo TRACKR Radar: I use it on one bike and Varia on the other. They perform the same.
- Garmin Varia RTL515: Radar that warns you of cars from behind. I use this model.
- Wahoo ELEMNT Roam 3: The bike computer that’s easy to use. I use mine on most rides.
- Favero Assioma Pro RS2: Accurate power pedals that swap easily between bikes. I use this model.
Home and indoor training
- NPE Runn: Makes my basic treadmill smart, sending more accurate speed and distance to my watch and Zwift. I use it.
- Google Wifi: Keeps Zwift connected in my pain cave. I use it.
- Apple TV 4K: Zwift on the big screen. I use two.
- Google Nest Doorbell (wired, 2nd gen): My video doorbell, running in both Google Home and Apple Home. I use it.
Health, recovery and sleep
- FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus: Shows how my blood sugar responds to diet.
- hDrop: Measures my sweat loss in summer and indoors.
- Fourth Frontier Zone: Checks my heart under load in hard sessions.
- Kineon MOVE+: Red and infrared light for sore knees, Achilles and other joints after hard training. I use it.
- Oura Ring 5: My partner’s recovery tracker of choice.
- Eight Sleep: A cooling mattress cover my partner and I use nightly.
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tfk is the founder and author of the5krunner, an independent endurance sports technology publication. With 20 years of hands-on testing of GPS watches and wearables, and competing in triathlons at an international age-group level, tfk provides in-depth expert analysis of fitness technology for serious athletes and endurance sport competitors. See the gear tfk uses. ID
