We’ll tell you nothing new by saying that developing AI apps is the new trend and the latest big thing in the mobile app development domain. Since early adopters (Google, Amazon, and others) demonstrated the value of artificial intelligence, almost every business strives to incorporate it in one way or the other. Thankfully, you don’t need to be a big tech giant or a research institute with deep pockets anymore to tap into AI app development. With an abundance of open-source machine learning frameworks and affordable AI development tools, a company of any size can create AI systems.

Yet, dealing with technology as complex and rapidly evolving as artificial intelligence might be overwhelming for many. Despite the lowered barriers to entry, there are a lot of nuances in building AI apps that are critical to the success of your project and its survival in the competitive marketplace. As an AI app development company, we understand your concerns and want to help you resolve them by sharing our expertise. Here, you’ll learn about the top benefits of using AI for the app development process, how to plan your AI project, how much it costs, and how to actually build an app with AI.

What is AI App Development?

Well, it’s the traditional mobile app development with one more element – artificial intelligence – that makes all the difference. AI technology in mobile apps gives them the ability to understand and respond to user needs and preferences to offer a better experience and not only. 

Mobile apps gather massive amounts of data, and as we all know, artificial intelligence is currently the best tool available to make the most of that information. Due to AI, mobile apps can recognize user behaviors and preferences, which lets them not only better respond to user actions but also predict what users might want next. For example, most fitness apps use AI to assess workout patterns, health data, and goals and create a personalized fitness plan that develops as your fitness level changes. Obviously, such a personalized experience connects on a deeper level with users.

Key Benefits of Integrating AI into Apps

Board members may wonder why integrating artificial intelligence into a company’s strategic roadmap is worth the investment, given the time, resources, and finances it demands. 

“Because it’s transformational. While AI app development requires an upfront investment, it’s a strategic decision that yields benefits over time. Our clients see colossal improvements in efficiency, automation, and customer satisfaction, among other things, in just three to six months after implementation.”

VP of Delivery, Anna Dziuba

Check out the list of potential benefits created by our VP of delivery based on her experience to understand why so many businesses turn to AI app development services and why you should, too.

Personalization and User Engagement

AI transforms data into custom experiences, so every app interaction feels specially made for the user. With the help of AI development software, companies can get the necessary information to classify consumer behavior and determine their preferences to provide potential customers with relevant content and more enticing offerings. This will make users feel like your mobile app’s features were tailored specifically to their needs. More enjoyable and relevant app experiences will keep users coming back for more.

Enhanced Security Features

By 2032, AI use in cybersecurity will grow massively – at a CAGR of 23.6%. As an AI app development company, we know that protecting data from the sophisticated cyber attacks of today is not an easy task for large enterprises and small businesses alike. To handle this tough job, we’ve seen many companies increasingly employ AI technologies to be capable of safeguarding data in the fast-changing threat landscape. 

So, instead of relying on “hope for the best” security, you can use AI to:

• Streamline and enhance authentication with image and audio recognition for setting up biometric data.
• Establish and manage user access rights effectively.
• Respond quickly to unforeseen threats, which minimizes financial losses.
• Spot and fix any vulnerabilities and flaws in your app security.
• Prevent potential threats by adding firewalls or fixing code vulnerabilities.
• Determine malware or viruses by processing suspicious behavior.
• Differentiate between false alarms and real dangers to better focus response efforts.

Operational Efficiency and Automation

Working faster than humans can in most cases, AI app development solutions offer organizations a helping hand to drive efficiency. The technology is extremely good at answering customer questions, data processing, workflow management, and some other mundane tasks. Thanks to these AI features, apps that work alongside enterprise software reduce manual work and improve productivity. Also, automation cuts down on possible mistakes while increasing precision.

Improved Decision Making with Data Analytics

Fast, deep data analytics is arguably the major benefit of AI app development in terms of ROI and strategic decision-making. By examining the heaps of data your business accumulates across different channels (social media, surveys, etc.), the technology can recognize hidden market opportunities and let your company:

• Anticipate user needs
• Customize services for every user
• Quickly adapt to market trends
• Enhance product offerings
• Streamline operations
• Predict future consumer behaviors
• Identify and mitigate risks before they escalate

Core AI Technologies for App Development

Every AI-driven app hinges on a certain AI technology and requires using specific programming languages for AI that will suit best for achieving project aims. Our AI app developers were glad to tell more about them to help decision-makers and product managers better understand the mechanics behind those seemingly mind-reading features of applications using artificial intelligence.    

• Machine Learning and Deep Learning. Machine learning (ML) is the brain behind AI, learning from data to make predictions or decisions without being directly programmed for each task. Deep learning (DL) is a more complex form of machine learning that uses layered artificial neural networks that mimic the human brain structure. DL algorithms are usually used to power image or voice recognition apps.
• Natural Language Processing (NLP) is another type of artificial intelligence that equips applications with the ability to interpret and generate human language. We can find NLP almost everywhere: translation, article summarization, spell check, etc.
• Computer Vision (CV) gives machines the ability to see and interpret visual information from videos and images in the same way people do. Instead of seeing just pixels, CV uses deep learning, pattern recognition, and image processing techniques to pull meaningful data from visual content. Any AI app development company would use CV to build medical image analysis apps, surveillance systems, or AR programs.
• Predictive Analytics and Data Mining Techniques. Predictive analytics uses historical data and ML techniques to forecast future trends and user behavior. Recommendation engines, fraud detection systems, and customer churn prediction models are just a few examples of apps powered by predictive analytics. Data mining does the backstage work by sifting through oceans of data to gather only helpful information to lay the foundation for predictive analytics.

Planning Your AI App Development Project

Don’t let the “AI” in “AI mobile app development” intimidate you! Certainly, there are differences in development stages, yet as with any software project, planning is the first and critical stage to the success of your app. It should follow these steps:

Defining the Scope and Objectives of Your AI App

To avoid wasting resources and head in the right direction, you need to identify the purpose and scope of your app. What pain points will your AI app solve, and what value will it deliver? Answering these questions will help you determine the app type you want to build, as the options are varied. Theoretically, this phase will help you:

• Sort out your business goals
• Outline a product roadmap
• Define major app’s features

When collaborating with qualified experts from an AI app development company, they will undertake the daunting tasks of creating product requirements, development strategy, defining tech stack, and taking care of all documentation, including Statement of Work and SRS documents.  

Identifying the Target Audience and Market Research

No matter what type of software you’re creating, you need to know your customers and their needs. Extensive research, which may include competitor analysis, user surveys, and market trend studies, is the sure way to gather as much information on your target audience as possible. Matching your customer needs with your business objectives is how you’ll make headway. 

Designing AI-Driven Apps

The allure of AI-powered applications is undeniable, but app design is no less important. Poor design can ruin even the most brilliant app idea, so you should be especially careful at this stage. 

Creating Interactive and Intuitive UI/UX for AI Apps

The app design should be seamless and user-friendly to let users easily interact with AI functionality. Designing for simplicity—where users can easily input data, see results, and give feedback—really makes the whole experience shine. During this stage of AI app development, focus on intuitive navigation and clear visual cues that will guide users through each step. Carrying out user testing and collecting feedback will help you further polish the interface and enhance the app’s usability. 

Get expert tips on building effective app design in our Mobile App Design Guidelines for 2024.  

Ensuring Privacy and Security in AI Apps

Privacy and security shouldn’t be an afterthought. From the get-go, design your AI app with these principles in mind. Focus on data minimization – collect only the information essential for AI functionality. Integrate strong encryption methods and user controls to empower individuals over their data. 

Developing Your AI App

The process of creating AI apps differs slightly from standard software development because we need to add one more step for AI development. Here’s how our AI engineers develop AI-based applications. 

Choose the Tech Stack for AI App Development

AI mobile app development requires diverse technologies to create, train, and deploy the application successfully. Although the tech stack of each project hinges on such things as the app’s complexity, your team’s expertise, and a long list of other factors, our developers have outlined the popular options an average AI project may demand.

Type	Technologies & Tools	Description
Programming Languages	Python (TensorFlow, PyTorch), Java (DL4J), C++ (Caffe)	The most well-suited programming languages for AI development.
Development Frameworks	TensorFlow (Machine Learning), PyTorch (Deep Learning), Keras (Deep Learning)	Pre-built libraries and tools that simplify AI development.
Data Storage and Management Tools	SQL databases (MySQL, PostgreSQL), NoSQL databases (MongoDB), Cloud storage services (Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage)	Databases and tools for storing, organizing, and processing data used to train and run AI models.
Cloud Computing Platforms	Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP)	Flexible computing and storage capabilities.
Machine Learning	Clustering, classification, regression	Algorithms used to build models.
Deep Learning	Neural networks	Techniques for more sophisticated tasks.
Natural Language Processing (NLP)	Natural Language Toolkit (NLTK), Stanford NLP, Spacy	For understanding and processing human-written text.
Computer Vision	ImageAI, Pillow, OpenCV	Extracting and analyzing info from videos and images.
AI Ethics & Bias Tools	Fairness dashboards, Explainable AI (XAI) libraries	Identifying and mitigating bias in AI models

Setting Up the Development Environment

Your AI app needs a well-equipped launchpad, so you should select a powerful Integrated Development Environment (IDE) that supports your chosen programming language and AI frameworks. Visual Studio Code, PyCharm, and IntelliJ IDEA are the top choices among AI developers. Also, you’ll need to configure data storage and access points to establish a hassle-free workflow for integrating your AI models.

Integrating AI Models into Your App

When opting for AI app development, you need to make sure the software parts that communicate with AI and are responsible for data input and output, pre- and postprocessing, work seamlessly together. You may also need to optimize the model for deployment by minimizing its size and memory demands for smoother operation on the target platform. It’s also advisable to establish data pipelines that feed the models with real-time user data and feedback, which will let your app learn and get smarter with each interaction. 

Testing AI Features for Accuracy and Performance

Testing your AI features is critical to ensure they perform as intended. Start with your app’s functionality to assess its reliability and usability under different conditions. As we talk about AI apps, measuring their accuracy in performing certain tasks like recommendations or image recognition is critical and demands the use of diverse datasets and testing techniques like unit and integration testing. Don’t forget user testing – gather feedback on the AI features’ usability and intuitiveness.

Challenges in AI App Development and How to Overcome Them

Regardless of whatever complex software solutions you’ve been involved in, you’ll find that AI projects present new challenges and risks. Our AI product manager and developers have shared some common issues associated with AI app development.

Challenge	Description	Solution
Data Acquisition and Quality	Finding sufficient, high-quality data to train AI models can be difficult and expensive. Data may be biased or irrelevant, leading to inaccurate models.	– Clearly define the data your AI model needs. – Explore alternative data sources like synthetic data generation.- Implement data cleaning and pre-processing techniques.
The Bias Issue	AI models can uphold biases present in the training data and provide unfair or discriminatory outcomes.	– Utilize Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency (FAT) principles in AI development. – Employ bias detection tools to identify and mitigate biases in training data. – Foster a diverse development team to bring different perspectives to the table.
AI Integration	Compatibility issues or difficulties in communication between AI and other app functionality, especially with legacy systems.	– Break down integration into smaller, manageable tasks. – Conduct thorough testing to ensure AI features function as intended within the app.
Privacy and Security Concerns	AI apps that collect and use user data raise privacy and security risks. Users may be hesitant to share data if they don’t trust how it will be used.	– Implement data encryption and access controls. – Be transparent about data collection practices and how the data is used. – Prioritize user privacy by offering data minimization and opt-out options.
Scalability	As your data requirements and user base grow, your AI model may struggle to handle the increased load, which will impact performance and user experience.	– Leverage cloud computing platforms with on-demand scalability to handle fluctuating data volume. – Explore techniques like model compression and efficient training algorithms to reduce resource requirements. – Design your app architecture to facilitate easy updates and improvements to AI features.
Legal Issues	AI applications raise new legal questions regarding data privacy, intellectual property, and potential liability for AI-driven decisions.	– Consult with legal counsel specializing in AI and data privacy. – Ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulations governing data collection, use, and security. – Implement clear terms of service and privacy policies that address AI functionality.
Hiring AI Experts	The demand for skilled AI developers and data scientists outpaces supply, so companies find it difficult to hire and retain top talent for AI project	– Partner with AI consultancies or outsource specific aspects of development if needed. – Invest in training and upskilling your existing development team in AI concepts and tools.

Launching and Maintaining Your AI App

Congratulations, you’re on the final lap – app launch. While the release itself is pretty straightforward, especially when collaborating with an AI app development company, maintenance is a continuous task that requires some attention and dedication.

Preparing for Launch: Checklist and Best Practices

Don’t let the excitement of the launch overshadow crucial preparation. Refine your app store listing and make sure it clearly outlines the AI features and their benefits. Conduct thorough testing across all devices and platforms to guarantee a flawless user experience. Finally, develop a launch marketing strategy to generate buzz and attract your target audience.

Post-Launch: Support and Maintenance Plans

The release is just the beginning of your AI app. Implement a reliable support system to address user queries and troubleshoot any issues.  Regular maintenance is key – monitor your AI models’ performance, gather user feedback, and identify areas for improvement.

Gathering User Feedback and Implementing Improvements

The true power of AI lies in its ability to learn and adapt. Actively solicit user feedback through surveys, app reviews, and in-app mechanisms. Analyze this feedback to understand user perceptions of your AI features, iterate on your models, and refine the user experience.

How Much Does it Cost to Make an AI App?

Developing AI mobile apps typically incurs slightly higher costs than traditional mobile app design services due to the sophisticated nature of AI technology and its associated complexities. Such projects are typically priced based on their scope. To give you an approximate idea of the price, an AI app development cost falls between $50,000 and $150,000, influenced by various factors.

Factor	The complexity of app development	Impact on cost
Complexity of app development	Simple apps with basic functionality require less development time and resources compared to complex apps with rich user interfaces and numerous features	Higher complexity = Higher Cost
Type of AI you want to build	The specific type of AI you desire (e.g., machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing) influences the complexity of the development	More complex AI = Higher Cost
Platform selection	Some platforms might require platform-specific AI tools or expertise.	More platforms = Higher Cost
Development team size and expertise	Hiring highly skilled AI developers, data scientists, and machine learning engineers comes at a premium. Less experienced teams might require additional training or external expertise.	Less team expertise = Higher Cost
App features and functionality	Acquiring high-quality data or cleaning and preparing existing data can be expensive. Alternatively, generating synthetic data might incur additional effort and cost.	Larger or lower quality data = Higher Cost
Algorithm complexity and training	Complex algorithms like deep learning demand significant computational resources, expertise, and more time for training.	More complex algorithms = Higher Cost
Integration with third-party services	Integrating your AI app with payment gateways, social media, or other services requires additional development effort and potential licensing fees.	More integrations = Higher Cost
Deployment and maintenance	The cost of deploying your AI app on a platform and ongoing maintenance for updates, security, and performance monitoring needs to be factored in.	Consider cloud deployment & ongoing maintenance costs

Build an AI App with Relevant Software

As you can see, AI app development is beneficial for any business but is a rather difficult endeavor. If you’re uncertain about the expertise and capabilities of your in-house team, you can always hire AI engineers with a track record in AI development. At Relevant, we offer flexible AI app development services to suit any project needs:

• Expertise on demand. Gain access to specialists in AI development, data science, and software engineering without the need for lengthy hiring processes or managing permanent staff.
• Time and cost efficiency. Leverage the experience of seasoned developers to avoid common pitfalls and thus reduce development time and costs.
• Custom solutions. Benefit from bespoke AI solutions that perfectly fit your specific business requirements and objectives.
• Scalability. Work with a team that can easily scale up or down based on your project’s phase and needs.
• Risk mitigation. Reduce project risks with a company that understands the complexities of AI app development and navigates them expertly.

Contact our experts for a free consultation, and let’s transform your AI vision into a reality.