Health care company Abbott has introduced Libre Assist, a new AI-powered tool within its Libre app, designed to help people with diabetes assess the potential impact of their meals on glucose levels before eating. Users can simply photograph or describe their food to receive predictions and tips. The feature, unveiled at CES 2026, integrates with Abbott's FreeStyle Libre continuous glucose monitors for post-meal insights.
Abbott, the maker of continuous glucose monitors, announced Libre Assist at CES 2026 to address the challenges of estimating nutritional impacts on blood sugar for those managing diabetes. Integrated into the Insights tab of the Libre app, this generative AI tool allows users to capture a photo or enter a textual description of their meal. The algorithm then analyzes the ingredients, draws on user-inputted food data, and generates a color-coded prediction of glucose impact: green for minor effects, yellow for moderate, and orange for significant ones.
To support better decisions, Libre Assist offers personalized meal suggestions based on individual preferences set in the app. For example, it might recommend plain Greek yogurt over a flavored variety to reduce potential glucose spikes. For users of the FreeStyle Libre CGM, the feature connects post-meal glucose readings to compare actual outcomes against predictions, accounting for variables like physical activity, stress, medications, or alcohol that could alter results.
Available now as a free addition to the Libre app, Libre Assist aims to reduce guesswork in daily eating. However, Abbott cautions that AI predictions are not infallible and should complement, not replace, professional medical advice. This launch highlights growing use of AI in personalized health management, particularly for chronic conditions like diabetes.
