Less than 4% of users remain active on an app 30 days after installation. This alarming statistic reveals the main challenge faced today by companies investing in mobile technology: the difficulty of maintaining user engagement over time. In a market with millions of available apps, capturing consumer attention is not enough—it’s necessary to develop platforms capable of evolving alongside them.
For this reason, apps have taken on a central role in brands’ strategies. More than contact points, they have become hubs for relationships, data intelligence, and loyalty. ‘Today, retention is the main thermometer of digital efficiency. And artificial intelligence is the great ally in this process. It allows the app to react to user behavior in real-time, offering a personalized, fluid experience with a lower risk of abandonment,’ explains Rafael Franco, CEO of Alphacode, a company specialized in developing customized mobile solutions.
With AI at the core of app architecture, the development process has become more dynamic and predictive. From the design phase, algorithms analyze previous journeys to suggest optimized flows, while automated testing systems simulate thousands of interactions before the product even goes live.
After launch, the platform continues learning from generated data, adjusting menus, recommendations, language, and even promotions based on user behavior. ‘With this model, we can anticipate navigation bottlenecks, identify abandonment patterns, and create automatic micro-adjustments. The app stops being static and starts evolving with the user, generating more engagement and reducing the cost of reacquisition,’ explains Franco.
Retention: From Pain to Competitive Advantage
Retention isn’t just about keeping the app installed. It’s about encouraging recurring interactions, increasing dwell time, and converting visits into strategic actions like orders, purchases, or bookings. With AI, it’s possible to predict the exact moment when a user is likely to leave and trigger engagement mechanisms like coupons, alerts, or a virtual assistant’s intervention.
Franco highlights that user behavior is directly tied to the app’s perceived relevance in daily life. ‘The user needs a reason to download and another to keep it. The App Store has millions of new apps every year, and it’s a battle for space on the user’s screen and storage—which they often delete to free up phone space. So the app must prove its relevance,’ he says.
He adds that loyalty programs are one of the most effective strategies to keep the app installed. ‘I always emphasize loyalty programs because when a customer has a loyalty program within the app, deleting it comes at a cost. If you have, say, ten reais in credit or a thousand points accumulated, deleting the app would mean losing that value. That keeps users engaged.’
Major brands like Madero, Domino’s Pizza, and China In Box have already realized that back-end technology—where AI systems reside—is the engine of personalization alongside automation routines. ‘All of this is as strategic as the visible app layout,’ notes Franco.
Operational Efficiency and Scalability
Beyond impacting user experience, AI has been reducing operational costs. Automating processes like customer service, testing, and behavioral analysis allows companies to scale operations with fewer human resources. It also ensures faster responses: campaigns can be adjusted in real-time based on performance or user feedback, without manual intervention.
For companies operating in multiple markets with demand spikes and diverse audiences, AI becomes essential. ‘The same technology that recommends pizza at lunch can remind a customer of a loyalty program at night or rearrange products based on seasonality. This creates real business value,’ says Franco.
The trend is for apps to go beyond being storefronts and become living platforms, constantly updating and learning. Artificial intelligence not only expands companies’ responsiveness but also creates a new layer of dialogue between brand and consumer—more strategic, relevant, and data-driven. ‘It’s not enough to develop a beautiful, functional app. You must think about how it stays useful and interesting after installation. In this new digital cycle, those who retain users gain a competitive edge and build a valuable business asset,’ concludes the CEO of Alphacode.
