What every app owner should know about AI integration

AI sounds impressive, but its real value lies in solving specific problems. Before getting excited about integrating AI, take a step back. What problem are you trying to solve?

• Do users need quicker access to support?
• Are you manually processing a mountain of admin tasks?
• Could your app be smarter at surfacing personalised content?

One of the biggest mistakes app owners make is leading with “we want to use AI” without knowing what the goal is. The right app developers will help you work backwards from your objectives and figure out if AI is actually the best way to get there, or if a simpler automation would do the job just as well.

And when AI is the right fit? That’s when things get exciting.

We won’t sugar-coat it: AI adds complexity. That means time and cost. But not just upfront. The big picture includes:

• Training time (if you’re using a custom model)
• Ongoing API usage costs (for tools like OpenAI or Google Cloud AI)
• Maintenance and updates
• Storage for data, especially if you’re capturing user behaviour

According to Gartner, businesses will spend nearly $135 billion on AI software globally by 2025. Why? Because when done well, the return outweighs the spend.

The takeaway is to be prepared to invest, but make sure your application developers are clear about the long-term costs as well as the shiny launch-day version.

When we say “AI”, we’re talking about a range of technologies, from rule-based automation to machine learning, computer vision, and large language models. Picking the right one matters.

If your app needs basic predictions (like suggesting nearby locations or detecting spam), off-the-shelf models are fast and affordable. But if you're trying to do something novel (say, generate travel itineraries based on user preferences), custom models or fine-tuning will be required.

A good app development team won’t just drop in ChatGPT and call it a day. They’ll guide you through model selection based on accuracy, speed, data needs, and cost. And they’ll make sure it fits with your existing infrastructure, not bulldoze it.

If AI is the engine, data is the fuel. But here’s the thing most non-tech stakeholders don’t realise: your AI is only as good as the data you give it.

Outdated, biased or poorly structured data will limit what AI can do, or worse, make your app behave in ways you didn’t expect. According to a study, 55% of companies said data issues were the biggest barrier to effective AI adoption.

You don’t need perfect data to start, but you do need a clear plan for collecting, cleaning, and managing it. The best application developers in the UK won’t just build the feature. They’ll help you design your data pipeline so the AI can actually learn and improve over time.

If your app makes decisions based on user data, say, denying a customer a credit limit, prioritising one job candidate over another, or even just recommending content, it needs to be explainable and fair.

You might not be legally required to implement ethical AI practices yet (although in the UK, that’s changing fast), but you are responsible for the outcomes your app delivers. Transparency, bias mitigation, and user control are becoming essential trust signals.

Whenever you bring AI into the mix, you’re also bringing in more complexity to your data flows. And that means more points of vulnerability.

If your AI features rely on third-party tools (which they often do), you need to make sure they comply with GDPR and other local data regulations. Just because an AI service works brilliantly doesn’t mean it’s storing data the right way.

When working with app developers, ask:

• Where is the data stored?
• Who can access it?
• How long is it retained?
• Are we using anonymisation techniques?

This isn’t a “nice to have”, it’s table stakes. One slip-up and you risk fines, reputational damage, and user trust loss. Your app needs to be airtight, and your dev team should be up to speed with UK and EU legislation.

This one catches people off guard. Unlike static features, AI systems evolve. That’s their strength, but also a maintenance headache if you’re not ready.

You’ll need to:

• Retrain models with new data
• Monitor performance for drift
• Adjust for algorithmic bias
• Update APIs and services as platforms change

Think of AI as a garden, not a sculpture. It needs tending. The best app developers businesses trust don’t just hand you an AI feature and walk away; they set you up with support plans, performance monitoring tools, and clear ownership for ongoing improvements.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of marketing your app as “AI-powered” like it’s a badge of honour. But your users? They don’t care what tech powers it. They care that it solves their problem - fast, simply, and reliably.

If your AI makes the app feel clunky, weird, or unpredictable, it doesn’t matter how advanced it is. It will frustrate your users and damage your brand.

The difference between a clunky AI feature and a seamless one usually comes down to UX. That’s why working with experienced app developers, who understand how to balance functionality with user experience, is critical.

Absolutely. But only when it’s done well.

Done right, AI can:

• Boost personalisation
• Reduce admin overhead
• Offer smarter insights
• Improve support
• Make your product feel future-ready

But it’s not plug-and-play. It’s a strategic decision. And the best application developers (like us 👋) will help you make that decision in a way that works for your business, your users, and your goals.

If you’re exploring AI integration for your app, don’t just chase the hype. Take a step back, work with developers who understand both the tech and your industry, and build something that’s genuinely useful.

At The Distance, we’ve helped businesses across travel, finance, health and beyond bring smart, secure and scalable AI features into their apps. And we do it without jargon, drama, or unnecessary complexity. Just honest conversations and solid execution.

Need help integrating AI into your app?

Let’s talk through your ideas and see what’s possible. No pressure, no hard sell, just expert advice from application developers who know how to make it work.