January AI, a tech pioneer developing generative AI to address the metabolic health crisis since 2017, is proud to unveil its third product: the free January app — a tool that provides revolutionary glucose insights to people who have never worn a continuous glucose monitor (CGM). Just scan a photo of a meal, and the app will deliver glucose insights, macros, and meal alternatives leveraging January’s clinically validated proprietary model and training data (npj Digital Medicine, an imprint of Nature) and demographic information. The photo capture uses generative AI to quickly and automatically generate accurate food titles and ingredients and quantities of complex meals. The new January app, available today in the app store and will be demoed on stage during the Consumer Electronics Show today in Las Vegas.
The January app gives powerful glucose insights to everyone with access to a phone, helping users understand how food will impact their blood sugar, without the cost and inconvenience of a glucose monitor, and is also a solution for those who want an understanding of food’s impact on their blood sugar in between wearing CGMs. The app’s mission is to empower users to combat the rising metabolic health crisis, which is expected to impact half the world’s population by 2050. With high glucose levels linked to the surge in diabetes, heart disease, chronic kidney disease, and mental health disorders, managing food’s impact on blood sugar has become even more critical.
“Of the 133 million believed to be affected in the U.S. alone, a substantial portion remains undiagnosed. Many don’t even recognize the problem that needs solving—which is due to a critical gap in screening,” underscores Noosheen Hashemi, co-founder of January AI. “COVID-19 was a wake-up call that we need to address metabolic health, globally. Yet, despite the widespread impact of metabolic issues, the lack of comprehensive testing has allowed this crisis to fester largely unnoticed.”
In addressing those actively seeking solutions, she notes, “There’s a lack of practical and accessible options. Conventional advice often involves challenging lifestyle changes that prove unrealistic for many.” Hashemi critiques existing government programs like the widespread Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), highlighting their limited success amid worsening metabolic health trends and accessibility issues tied to expensive tools like continuous glucose monitors, which are primarily only available to those who have employer coverage, and are diagnosed with insulin-intensive diabetes. Hashemi advocates for innovative solutions, stating, “To make significant strides, we need products that engage the mainstream population, raise awareness, and facilitate simple lifestyle changes.”
How do January’s AI predictions work?
January AI has spent several years developing its own generative AI to predict a person’s glucose levels. Their machine-learning models are built upon millions of data points comprising wearable, demographic, and user-reported data from thousands of users. The output of these models is estimated blood sugar curves. These models, including their construction and their use in a digital app, are discussed in detail in the peer-reviewed publication, npj Digital Medicine, an imprint of Nature. The published study showcases the app’s ability to provide personalized insights, contributing to the scientific community’s understanding of metabolic responses. In the new app, January uses demographic information to create accurate glucose predictions for each individual person. For an even more tailored experience, users can explore the January Pro app, which incorporates continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) to create a precise “digital twin” for enhanced predictions and insights.
Traffic Light
The app considers the impact of various nutrients on glucose response, with a focus on fiber, protein, healthy fats, carbohydrates, and sugar. Incorporating the glycemic index (GI) provides users with a comprehensive understanding of how different foods affect blood glucose levels. Finally, to simplify the user experience, January introduces a “traffic light” system that categorizes foods based on their projected glucose impact. Users can easily identify low, moderate, or high-impact foods, aligned with their identified health state (healthy, prediabetes, or type 2 diabetes).
Millions of Data Points for Blood Sugar Insights
The January app is a data powerhouse, incorporating millions of data points and proprietary AI predictions to deliver accurate blood sugar insights. Recognizing that food is the primary predictor of blood sugar response, January empowers users with directionally accurate insights about their food’s glucose impact before consumption. January boasts the largest Glycemic Index (GI) and Glycemic Load (GL) database globally with 32M foods. Leveraging a nutritional inference model powered by machine learning, the app learns across various food items and user profiles, enhancing the precision of insights. The app furthers the personalization of results by matching individual demographics and cohorts of diabetic, non-diabetic, and prediabetic users to provide insights tailored to each user’s unique profile.
Democratizing Metabolic Health Access
Reflecting on January AI’s journey from genesis to key milestones, including ADA 2020 and a 2021 diabetes therapy study, Hashemi concludes, “We envision millions of people using our free app. With six years of rigorous research, AI interaction, and clinical validation, backed by millions of data points, January AI is poised to disrupt metabolic health and make metabolic health accessible, personalized, impactful and actionable for all, and move us forward in our mission to demystify metabolic health.”
