From finance to healthcare and retail to education, AI is transforming apps across industries. While some apps already use AI, most companies are still figuring out how and if they should leverage this exciting technology. If you fall into the latter category, follow these steps to integrate AI into your app.
1. Decide If AI Is Right for Your App
Before you dive in, pause to consider whether AI will enhance your app in a meaningful way. Here are some questions to ask yourself before you decide to integrate AI.
- How might AI set me apart from competitors?
- How might AI make life easier for my users?
- Which usability pain points might AI help solve?
- How might AI make my app safer for users?
- How might AI help me improve customer service?
- How might AI automate and streamline manual processes?
When you reflect on your current app, you might recognize new areas of opportunity. AI could offer an ideal solution to challenges you've come to accept as unavoidable. Tasks involving analysis, sorting, pattern recognition, and content, for example, are all well-suited to AI.
2. Consider Ways to Use AI in Your App
If you're having trouble imagining the possibilities, consider these use cases. Here are a few ways AI can enhance your app.
Summarizing Information
AI is great at taking large quantities of data and processing it quickly. You can deploy AI to summarize customer reviews, sales calls, or long documents.
Generating Responses
Thanks to generative AI technologies, you can use AI to craft original text. From personalized emails to custom recommendations, AI can improve your user experience.
Categorizing Information
Use AI to scan and sort, like categorizing support tickets or user-generated content. AI can make it easier to make sense of different inputs.
Assess patterns
Another way you might consider deploying AI is for pattern recognition. AI could help you flag fraudulent accounts or offer timely tips based on user habits. Use it to identify behavior patterns and create a safer, more personalized experience.
Analyze text for content and mood
AI lets you analyze information for sentiment and themes. Try detecting content that violates platform guidelines or delivering custom recommendations.
3. Review Examples of Apps that Use AI
When you think of AI and apps, there are probably several that come to mind. ChatGPT, Google Lens, Siri, and Otter AI are examples, just to name a few. There are dozens of other apps that are not explicitly "AI apps" but have integrated AI in other ways. Spark your creativity by reviewing the way these apps integrate AI.
Canva
The user-friendly graphic design app Canva uses AI in a myriad of interesting ways. For one, it leverages DALL·E by OpenAI and Imagen by Google Cloud to let users turn text into an AI-generated image. This feature isn't just a novelty for users. It solves a problem, too, allowing users to find the perfect image to complete their presentation, post, or newsletter.
Amazon
Amazon is on the cutting edge of technology, including using AI in all sorts of new and exciting ways. One visible way is through its AI-generated review summaries. AI processes the reviews and captures key themes and words to make information super skimmable for users. Instead of reading dozens of reviews to decide on a product, shoppers can read a concise sentence or two.
Snapchat
The tech company Snap and its social media app Snapchat are quick to embrace new technology. So naturally, AI is no different. Snapchat's "My AI" feature allows users to converse with AI as if they were talking with a human. The chatbot uses OpenAI's ChatGPT to make social media even more social.
Calm
The popular relaxation and meditation app Calm has also jumped on the AI trend. Using Amazon Personalize, an AI technology, Calm queues up content tailored to its users. Just as the name suggests, the tool helps Calm personalize the app experience. Users who love soundscapes but not bedtime stories, for example, will see more of the former and less of the latter.
ELSA Speak
The language-learning app ELSA Speak uses AI to help non-native speakers perfect their English speaking. The app uses a speech recognition AI tool to determine how close a user's speech is to the correct pronunciation. Red, yellow, and green indicators and AI-generated tips help users make progress.
Even small companies can learn a thing or two from the way these well-known companies are using AI. Luckily, you don't have to be a tech giant to use AI. Thanks to APIs and open-source technology, nearly anyone can use AI to enhance their app. What’s more, AI-as-a-Service (AIaaS) is also a growing area of development. Cloud-based platforms like Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services, and Google Cloud allow smaller teams to implement AI without a heavy lift.
4. Set Clear Goals
Now that you have an idea of how other apps use AI, it's time to zero in on exactly how to put it to work in your own app. To what end will you deploy AI in your app? What specific business goals do you hope to accomplish?
The more specific you can get, the better. A clear picture of what you want to achieve will inform not only the method of AI integration but also the platform, the team, cost, and timeline.
Plus, when you define what success looks like, you'll be able to set KPIs. Having a clear target will also ensure you don't waste time and valuable dollars on the wrong tools.
As part of this goal definition process, don’t neglect any data considerations. For example, you may need high-quality data to train your AI models. If you’ll be using user data, you’ll need to work through any privacy and ethical issues you might encounter. Thinking through data needs like these early will help you secure the right inputs to make your AI integration worthwhile.
5. Choose a Method to Add AI to Your App
There are two primary ways to add AI to your app. Let's break down each one so that you can find the best option for your specific use case.
Custom AI Solutions
One way to incorporate AI into your app is to hire a developer to build a custom AI solution. As opposed to an off-the-shelf option, this route will offer more control and options. You can tailor your AI integration to your specific needs.
Custom AI solutions do, however, have some disadvantages. Often, this path is much more expensive and takes longer to implement. Unlike off-the-shelf options, you'll have to consider maintenance and support, too.
There are several AI development platforms to choose from. Several include Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and Amazon Web Services (AWS). Your development team, your budget, and your project requirements can all help you land on the right one.
Off-the-Shelf AI Solutions
Alternatively, you can integrate AI into your app by leveraging an existing AI platform. Rather than reinventing the wheel, you can benefit from third-party solutions. APIs make it possible to pull in all sorts of features, like speech recognition, for example without custom coding. The advantages of off-the-shelf solutions are obvious—faster implementation, lower cost, proven track record as well as updates and support.
There are a few downsides to consider, too. Out-of-the-box solutions have some limitations. When you use a third-party option, you'll give up some control in exchange for speed and ease of use. Still, this option is the fastest, easiest, and often highest-quality way to integrate AI.
There are many different AI tools with APIs to choose from. Some include IBM Watson, Google Cloud's Speech to Text, OpenAI's ChatGPT, Microsoft’s Azure Cognitive Services, and more.
6. Find a Development Team You Trust
Next, you'll want to find a team of developers to execute your AI plan. Here are a few qualities to consider:
- A track record of success
- Experience in the coding languages necessary for your chosen platform
- Experience with AI and/or API development
- Respect for deadlines
- Deep expertise in app development
Your team can make or break your project, so don't shortcut this process. A well-established development team is key to integrating AI into your app successfully.
7. Test, Improve, and Deploy Your App
Once you find a development team, it's time to get to work. Your team will help you through the launch of your new AI features, including testing and launch. Soon enough, your users will have the chance to try your new and improved app for themselves.
Just because you've added AI doesn't mean you've future-proofed your app. Be sure to return to your goals and check the extent to which AI has helped you achieve them. Keep tabs on your KPIs and be ready to tweak and pivot as needed.
For the best chances of success, pay attention to user feedback. How do your new AI features enhance your user experience? How might you use AI to make your app even stronger? You might be able to push the envelope even further than you imagined.
Final Thoughts on Adding AI to an App
AI has the power to improve your app's user experience and set it apart from competitors. With careful consideration and a clear goal, you can integrate this amazing technology into your existing app. Some apps provide a great template for how to leverage AI to help users and solve problems, but there are even more ways to use AI that are yet to be explored.
Ready to integrate AI into your app? We'd love to help. Reach out to connect with us.
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