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Dexcon On Tuesday, its Stelo continuous glucose monitor launched an artificial intelligence feature that gives users a personalized view of how diet, sleep and activity affect their blood sugar levels. This is the first iteration of the new generative artificial intelligence platform the company has been building Google cloud.
Stelo is an over-the-counter CGM that pierces the skin to measure immediate blood sugar levels. The sensor, launched in August, can be used by any adult who doesn’t take insulin.
The report reflects Dexcom’s efforts to make Stelo more personal and attractive to consumers as it strives to penetrate new markets.
“The number one feedback we’re getting is that users want to see more content,” Dexcom Chief Operating Officer Jake Leach told CNBC. “They’re investing in the product and wearing it, and they want to be able to fully use it. Leverage all the data they generate.”
Dexcom is using Google’s Gemini model and its Vertex AI platform as the basis for its new AI products. Vertex AI allows developers to build applications that integrate different types of data, a well-known challenge in healthcare.
Leach said Dexcom is also exploring how its generative AI platform can be used in other CGM products, but the company is proceeding with caution because patients rely on them to prevent medical emergencies.
“I really felt like Stelo was the right place to do it the first time,” he said.
The existing insights report is already available to users in the Stelo app, but it follows a more standard template format each week. Dexcom believes AI-generated reporting will be more valuable to users because it is personal, Leach said.
For example, if a user doesn’t move enough after meals during a given week, the report will include tips and educational material to assist.
Leach said Stelo’s AI reporting will not provide users with medical advice, although Dexcom has been using the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s AI framework to help guide the development of the feature. The FDA approved Stelo in March.
Ultimately, Dexcom hopes to use its generative AI platform to provide users with instant feedback, rather than just weekly reports. The company is also exploring how the technology can serve as a predictive indicator of potential problems, like a check engine light on a car.
“It gives you an idea of what might happen and suggests where you might want to go for more advice,” Chris Sakalosky, vice president of industry strategy for Google Cloud, told CNBC.
Dexcom’s updated weekly reports begin rolling out to Stelo users this week.
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