:: AI services / AI-powered app development
An AI app development company for apps people keep using
We design and build mobile and web apps with AI features users notice: an assistant that knows their account, search that understands what they mean, a feed that learns what they like. Our team has shipped 350+ web and mobile projects, and AI is now part of most of them.
iOS, Android and web
Design to App Store launch
On-device and cloud AI
:: What we do
AI features we build into apps
We add AI where it saves the user time, not because it is fashionable.
01
In-app AI assistants
Chat or voice assistants that know the user’s data and can complete tasks inside the app.
02
Smart search
Search that understands intent and synonyms, across products, content or records.
03
Personalisation
Feeds, offers and reminders that adapt to each user’s behaviour.
04
Camera and image features
Scan documents, recognise products and check photos with on-device or cloud vision models.
05
Voice and speech
Dictation, voice commands and transcription in many languages.
06
Writing and summary tools
Help users draft messages, posts and notes, or summarise long content in a tap.
:: Examples
AI app ideas that solve a real problem
The best AI apps take away a task people dislike: typing, searching, filling in forms, waiting for an answer. These blueprints show how that works in different industries.
Logistics
Proof of delivery with photo checks
Drivers capture photos and signatures; the app checks the photo, reads labels and flags problems before the van leaves.
Read the blueprint
Healthcare
Telehealth with visit summaries
Video visits, booking and secure messaging, with draft visit notes for the clinician to review and sign.
Read the blueprint
Hospitality
Loyalty app with personal offers
Rewards, ordering and offers that adapt to each guest’s visits and orders, instead of the same coupon for everyone.
Read the blueprint
Marketplaces
Listings written by AI
Owners take a few photos; the app drafts the listing, suggests a category and price, and checks for missing details.
Read the blueprint
Retail
In-app shopping assistant
Answers questions about products, orders and returns inside the app, and hands over to support when needed.
Read the blueprint
Patients
Patient portal with plain-language help
Results, appointments and messages, with explanations written in plain language and reviewed by clinical staff.
Read the blueprint
:: Step by step
How to build an AI-powered app, step by step
An AI app is still an app first. People judge it on speed, design and reliability, then on how clever it is. This is the order we build in.
01
Pick the moment AI helps
Find the step in the user’s day where AI removes real effort, such as typing, searching or deciding. One feature people use daily beats five they try once.
02
Choose on-device or cloud AI
On-device models are fast, private and work offline. Cloud models are more capable. Many apps use both, deciding per feature.
03
Design for uncertain answers
Show sources, let users edit or undo what the AI did, and design screens for slow responses and wrong answers, not just the happy path.
04
Prototype the AI feature first
Test the AI part with real inputs before building the full app. If it can’t reach the quality bar in a prototype, the rest of the app won’t save it.
05
Build the app and backend
Screens, accounts, payments, APIs, admin panel and the AI service, built in Flutter, React Native or native code depending on the app’s needs.
06
Control cost and privacy
Rate limits, caching and cheaper models where they pass the tests, plus clear consent and data handling that meets App Store and Play Store rules.
07
Launch, measure and iterate
Release to testers, then the stores. Track how often people use the AI feature, where they correct it and what it costs per user.
:: How it works
How we build AI-powered apps
One team handles design, mobile, backend and AI, so the AI feels like part of the app.
01
Shape the product
User research, the core flows and where AI genuinely helps. Clickable designs before code.
02
Build the MVP
Native or cross-platform app, backend and the first AI feature, in two-week sprints.
03
Test with users
Beta testing on real devices, AI quality checks and performance tuning.
04
Launch and grow
App Store and Google Play release, analytics, and new AI features based on how people use the app.
:: Cost and timeline
How much does it cost to build an AI app?
Typical prices for our app projects, based on a senior team at $25 to $35 an hour. For a quick estimate for your own idea, try our app cost calculator, linked below.
AI feature in an existing app
$5k – $20k
4 to 8 weeks
One AI feature such as an assistant, smart search or photo check, added to an app you already have.
AI-powered MVP
$25k – $60k
3 to 5 months
A new iOS and Android or web app with design, backend, admin panel and one or two core AI features.
Full AI product
$60k – $150k+
5 to 9 months
Several AI features, on-device and cloud models, integrations, analytics and scale for a large user base.
What it costs to run
Cloud AI is billed per use, so cost grows with active users. For most apps it is a few cents to a few dimes per active user per month. On-device features cost nothing per use. We model this with you before build so pricing and margins hold up.
What moves the price
Platforms: iOS, Android, web or all three
Number and complexity of AI features
On-device models versus cloud APIs
Backend, admin panel and integrations
Design depth and number of screens
:: App cost calculator
Estimate your AI app before you call us
Pick platforms, features and AI options and see a price range, timeline and team size in two minutes. No email needed.
Estimate your app cost
:: Before you start
Questions to answer before you build an AI app
Teams that can answer these clearly get a better app, a tighter quote and fewer surprises after launch.
Have answers to
Which task the AI takes off the user’s hands
What a good answer looks like, with examples
Which data the app may use, and with what consent
Who pays for AI usage: you, the user or a plan tier
How users fix or report a wrong answer
What success looks like 90 days after launch
Common reasons AI apps disappoint
AI added because competitors have it
Slow responses with no loading design
Usage costs that grow faster than revenue
No way to undo what the AI did
Privacy questions left until store review
:: Why Sterling
Why build your AI app with us
350+ web and mobile projects delivered since 2019
Design, mobile, backend and AI in one team
On-device AI where privacy or speed matters
AI running costs estimated before launch
Apps live in the USA, Europe, Israel, the Middle East and Africa
:: Tools we use
Swift
Kotlin
Flutter
React Native
React
Next.js
Node.js
Python
Core ML
TensorFlow Lite
OpenAI
Claude
Firebase
AWS
4.9
Average rating on Clutch · 350+ projects since 2019
:: Questions
Questions about AI apps
How much does AI app development cost?
How long does it take to build an AI app?
Native or cross-platform?
Can AI run on the phone instead of the cloud?
Do you also build the backend and admin panel?
How do you build an AI-powered app?
Can you add AI to our existing app?
What does AI cost per user each month?
Will the App Store and Google Play accept an AI app?
Which AI models work on the phone?
How can I estimate the cost of my app?
:: Related AI services
Other ways we can help
Send us your brief. We’ll help turn it into reality
A senior engineer replies within one business day with questions or a first plan: approach, team, timeline and estimate.