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Why Adding AI to Your Mobile App Is a Must in 2020

business.com editorial staff
business.com editorial staff

Artificial intelligence can improve your business's mobile app.

  • Artificial intelligence is gaining momentum in the world of mobile application development.
  • AI adds value to your applications through monetization opportunities. AI provides unique user experiences that are hard to come by.
  • Estimate your mobile application development budget before considering AI. Mobile application budgets typically range between $100,000 and $1,000.000.

For many business owners, artificial intelligence (AI) feels like the latest fad. You see it in headlines touting how it will change our lives, but you’re wondering if this the same hype that had us using quick response (QR) codes for a hot minute.

Unlike QR codes, AI isn’t going away. Business owners who fail to take part soon are going to be left behind.

Apps are one of the easiest ways to get started. If your business has an app or several apps, talk to your development team about incorporating AI now. Here are eight reasons you need to add AI to your mobile app within the next year. 

  1. AI is gaining momentum. Studies show investment in AI is increasing rapidly. Investors are mainly found in healthcare, finance, and education, but AI is being added daily to mobile apps. 

  2. AI is a useful tool to help you engage users. AI can analyze user data to provide insights about your users, including what they like, dislike, click on, don't click on and more. If some aspects of your app aren't useful, you'll know, and then you can pivot to focus on what's working, which helps increase engagement.

  3. AI data can help your app earn. Data isn't just for making your app better; the more data you can glean from your app's users, the more you can leverage that to find investors, sell ads or charge more. 

  4. AI transforms the user experience. Smart apps help people accomplish daily tasks. Personalization is the next big thing, and people love apps that can order their favorite coffee or suggest a delicious menu item. For now, this approach gives you an edge over competitors. Soon, it’ll be service people come to expect.

  5. Voice control with AI is increasing in popularity. As home devices familiarize us with asking questions, the feature has become widespread. Can your app function with voice control?

  6. Everyone else is doing it. Gartner estimates 200 of the world's largest companies will develop intelligent apps within the next year. While it's not always a good idea to follow the leaders, in this case, there's a reason for it.

  7. AI isn't as expensive as you think. Depending on what functions you need to add to your app, the cost may not be prohibitive, even for smaller companies. Plus, if you add AI in from the start of your app build, it's even less expensive. Further, your app will stand out and offer something that makes it far more marketable than others, making it a worthy investment.

  8. AI will help you integrate with other apps and with the internet of things (IoT). We love convenience. Building in voice control or other AI features will improve your seamless integration with other apps and with someone's IoT devices, so people can go from one to the other without stopping to launch separate programs. 

 

Editor's note: Looking for the right mobile app development solution for your business? Fill out the below questionnaire to have our vendor partners contact you about your needs.

The average cost to develop a mobile app

Many factors go into determining a budget for mobile applications. According to Savvy, a high-quality app will cost anywhere from $100,000 to $1,000,000 to develop. Costs vary based on platform, app features, and the development team used to create the mobile application. For instance, offshore companies typically charge reduced rates for mobile application development services compared to in-house firms.

The complexity of the app and the platform needed for development are the main cost considerations. Android mobile applications are developed on an open-source platform, while Apple applications are on a closed source. Android development has more complexities and applications may cost more to develop since delivery timeframes are usually longer.   

How to use AI with your app

Thus far, AI and apps have been about personalizing experiences and offering virtual assistance to consumers. Uber is using automated reasoning to help optimize routes for drivers. Chatbots help consumers book hotels and can even answer most questions. AI is part of fraud detection. Here are some other examples for inspiration: 

  • Using data gathered from app users, AI can suggest new features for your app.
  • Multiple apps take your photo, so you can animate your face, create memes and share it.
  • Other apps turn your photos into fantastic artwork.
  • Some AI apps enable you to take photos of objects, so you can learn words for them in another language.
  • Multiple apps measure the beauty of your photos (and your face!) so you can decide which images to share.

These examples are mostly for consumers, but AI is changing businesses, too. 

Image Credit: Zephyr18 / Getty Images
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