Fewer 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 become central to brands’ strategies. More than just points of contact, they have turned into hubs for relationship-building, data intelligence, and loyalty. ‘Today, retention is the main indicator of digital efficiency. And artificial intelligence is the greatest ally in this process. It allows the app to react to user behavior in real time, offering a personalized, seamless experience with a lower risk of abandonment,’ says Rafael Franco, CEO of Alphacode, a company specializing in 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 past user journeys to suggest optimized flows, while automated testing systems simulate thousands of interactions before the product even goes live.
After launch, the platform itself continues to learn 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, increasing engagement and reducing the cost of reacquisition,’ explains Franco.
Retention: From Pain Point to Competitive Advantage
Retention isn’t just about keeping the app installed. It’s about encouraging recurring interactions, increasing session duration, and converting visits into strategic actions like orders, purchases, or appointments. With AI, it’s possible to predict the exact moment a user is likely to leave and trigger engagement tactics like coupons, alerts, or virtual assistant interventions.
Franco emphasizes that user behavior is directly tied to the app’s perceived relevance in daily life. ‘Users need one reason to download and another to keep it. The App Store has millions of apps each year, and it’s a battle for space on the user’s screen and storage—which they’ll delete to free up space. So the app must prove its relevance,’ he says.
He adds that loyalty programs are one of the most effective strategies to keep an app installed. ‘I always stress the idea of loyalty programs because when a customer has one within the app, deleting it comes at a cost. If you have, say, ten reais in credits or a thousand accumulated points, deleting the app would mean losing that value. That keeps users hooked.’
Major brands like Madero, Domino’s Pizza, and China In Box have already realized that the back-end technology—where AI systems reside—is the engine of personalization alongside automation routines. ‘All of this is as strategic as the visible UI in the app,’ notes Franco.
Operational Efficiency and Scalability
Beyond impacting user experience, AI is reducing operational costs. Automating processes like customer service, testing, and behavioral analysis allows companies to scale operations with fewer human resources. It also ensures quick 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 peaks and diverse audiences, AI becomes essential. ‘The same technology that recommends pizza for lunch can remind customers of a loyalty program at night or rearrange products in the app based on seasonality. This creates real business value,’ says Franco.
The trend is for apps to stop being mere showcases and start behaving as living platforms, constantly updating and learning. Artificial intelligence not only expands companies’ responsiveness but also creates a new layer of strategic, data-driven dialogue between brand and consumer. ‘It’s not enough to develop a beautiful and functional app. You need to think about how it stays useful and interesting post-installation. In this new digital cycle, those who retain users gain a competitive edge and build a valuable business asset,’ concludes Alphacode’s CEO.
