Unifying a Fragmented Marketplace

Both Iqbal and Noshirvani emphasize that while technology has exploded in the fitness space, the underlying infrastructure to unify it hasn’t kept pace. Members today bring more data into gyms than many clinical environments. Wearables track biometrics around the clock. AI platforms generate coaching insights. Sensorized equipment collects usage patterns. Biotech companies are creating new metrics for preventive health.

Yet, these systems often operate in silos, limiting the value they can deliver.

“The conversation around fragmentation in fitness and health technology ultimately comes down to one idea: Our industry needs a shared operating system for health,” Iqbal explains.

He calls this concept PHOS, or the Personal Health Operating System. In this model, gyms, wearables, AI, and biotech aren’t competing for control of data; they’re contributing to a shared ecosystem, where signals are translated into actionable insights for members. (See sidebar for more.)

Beyond the Four Walls

Gyms traditionally see only a small fraction of a member’s life—roughly 7%. The other 93%—sleep, nutrition, recovery, stress, and everyday movement—has a far greater influence on health outcomes. Both Iqbal and Noshirvani argue that this is the real opportunity for operators and tech platforms.

“The responsibility of the operator is to contextualize this data, not surveil it,” Iqbal says. “By focusing on patterns rather than individual datapoints, coaches can guide members to make better, simpler decisions. Programming can adapt to lifestyle, physiology, and readiness, not just exercise performance. This approach transforms gyms into personalized health environments rather than static exercise spaces.”

Noshirvani calls this “biological personalization”—an evolution of fitness personalization that relies on physiological signals rather than member preferences alone. Unlike standard programming or community features that competitors can easily replicate, this kind of personalization is grounded in longitudinal, member-consented, data-driven insights.

Trust and Data Governance—The Cornerstones of the Ecosystem

As health insurers, pharmaceutical companies, and big tech increasingly seek access to fitness and wellness data, maintaining member trust is paramount. Iqbal and Noshirvani both emphasize that clear consent, transparency, and ethical data use are non-negotiable.

Iqbal has identified six guiding principles for a best-in-class fitness data-trust model: member control, purpose-bound use, secure storage, shared interoperability standards, auditability, and neutral governance.

Noshirvani adds that operators don’t need to be security experts. They do, however, need to communicate clearly with their members.

“Members must understand what data is being shared, why, and how it directly benefits them,” he says. “Transparency builds trust, which in turn enables innovation.”

The Biggest Barrier Isn’t Technology

Despite the hype, both Iqbal and Noshirvani agree that the biggest obstacle to interoperability isn’t technical—it’s incentive alignment. APIs exist, standards exist, and member demand exists. What’s missing is a shared sense of value.

“We need companies to shift from ‘How do I keep my data?’ to ‘How do we create more value together by sharing it?’” Iqbal says.

The Council’s approach is to make interoperability a growth strategy rather than a threat. By creating neutral standards, multi-brand pilots, and incentive frameworks that reward collaboration, the Council hopes to show that sharing data can expand market reach, improve member outcomes, and increase engagement, all without forcing anyone to give up control unnecessarily.

Noshirvani adds that the Council can help dismantle the “walled gardens” that have long defined the tech space.

“By demonstrating how unified data flows can expand market reach, increase user engagement, and improve outcomes, the Council reframes collaboration as a growth strategy instead of a loss of control,” he explains.

Structured partnerships and pilot programs allow companies to test integration in low-risk, high-visibility ways, providing proof that collaboration works in practice.