How do AI-generated apps compare to apps made by humans?

You can’t escape Artificial Intelligence at the minute. Whether it's ChatGPT and Bard for writing or Starry AI and Picsart for image creation (both available on mobile and tablet), everyone’s talking about AI in some way shape or form. It probably won't come as a surprise, then, to learn that AI has also thrown its virtual hat into the mobile app development ring as well. 

But what might surprise you is that it’s already being used in a wide variety of applications, including healthcare, finance, retail, and transportation. Chances are you’ve already interacted with AI on a mobile app without even realising it. Ever spoken with a chatbot? Been given a shopping recommendation? Had to click the squares containing traffic lights to prove (ironically) that you’re not a bot? That’s AI hard at work right there. 

Is AI app development here to stay?

Some of the most popular AI app development tools include Google Cloud AutoML, Amazon SageMaker, IBM Watson, and Microsoft Azure Machine Learning. Even someone who isn’t familiar with app development will recognise big tech names like these, and if they’re pouring their resources into it then it must be a big deal… so everyone at Foresight Mobile will be out of a job soon.

Right?

Well, let’s find out… 

What does an AI app development tool actually do?

AI tools such as Appy Pie and Shuttle just need you to input a few basic details about what you want your app to do and it’ll write the code for you ready to publish on Android, iOS or both. Once the code is written it’ll need your input to customise and brand it, but the time-consuming bit (the coding) is out of the way. 

Now before you go and try to take over the world with that idea you had for an app when you were drunk, hold fast for a minute because there’s a bit more to it than that…

5 pros of using an AI development tool

• Speed - AI tools can automate many of the tasks involved in website development, such as code generation, testing, and deployment, saving time and money
• Accuracy - They can analyse large amounts of data to identify patterns and trends that would be difficult for humans to spot, potentially leading to more accurate website designs and features
• Personalised - They can personalise websites to the individual user, providing them with a more relevant and engaging experience
• Security - Can be used to quickly detect and prevent security threats, such as malware and phishing attacks
• Scalable - AI tools can be scaled to handle large amounts of traffic, making them ideal for websites that are expected to grow in popularity

5 cons of using AI to develop your mobile app

• Cost - The tools can be expensive to develop and deploy
• Complexity - They can be incredibly complex and difficult to understand, making it super hard to debug and troubleshoot apps built on AI foundations
• Bias - AI tools can be biased, which can lead to apps that aren’t fair or equitable to all users
• Security - They can be hacked, which could lead to the compromise of data and user privacy
• Lack of creativity - While they may be good at automating tasks, they’ll never be as creative as humans when it comes to designing apps

And what about us mere mortals? How do we stack up against AI-generated apps?

5 pros of using a human to develop your app

• Creativity - Humans are naturally creative, which always leads to more innovative and engaging apps
• Problem-solving - We’re amazing at solving problems, an essential component of developing complex apps. Humans 1, AI nil
• Empathy - We can understand and empathise with users, which can lead to more user-friendly apps
• Communication - Collaboration and teamwork will take your app to the next level - AI just can't do that and is poorer for it
• Adaptability - We’re adaptable, meaning we can deal with unexpected challenges far better than AI ever can

5 cons of using a human to develop your app

• ‍Error-prone - We mess up from time to time, which can lead to bugs and errors in apps. Hey, we’re only human…‍
• Time-consuming - Human development can be time-consuming compared to AI, which can lead to delays in app releases.‍
• Skill set - We might not possess the skill set or experience required for a particular build‍
• Keeping up with the Joneses - Trying to keep up with the rapid pace of technological change can be difficult, which could make our knowledge base obsolete quickly‍
• Unpredictability - If we’ve got something going on in our personal lives it can affect our work, which can lead to unexpected challenges and delays

Which is better? An AI-designed app or a human-designed app?

We might be accused of speciesism here, but we firmly believe that the human touch far outweighs any benefits that AI can bring to the table. Yes, we may be a bit slower coding the app and we might drop a wee clanger here and there occasionally, but look what you get in return for the remote possibility of those things happening;

• A personal service 
• Years of experience 
• True collaboration
• Creativity
• The ability to think outside the box 
• Previous success stories

And - most importantly of all - a real desire to make the app the best it can possibly be.  

If you want your mobile app to be developed, maintained, and supported by an honest-to-goodness, sometimes flawed (especially Jack Walker 😉) but incredible team of humans then get in touch. 

We’ll be happy to go through the process step by step and show you some of the creative ways we can integrate AI into your app. We can use AI to add intelligence, creativity and improve the user experience in lots of novel ways.

If you'd like to investigate the possibilities for AI in your mobile app project please get in touch.