Sophie Blake
Artificial intelligence has become a central feature of the mobile app ecosystem, with apps referencing AI in their names or descriptions recording 7.5 billion downloads in the first half of 2025, according to Sensor Tower’s State of AI Apps Report 2025. These apps accounted for about 10% of global downloads during the period, reflecting a 52% year-over-year increase.
Once concentrated largely in mobile gaming between 2015 and 2019, AI adoption in apps has accelerated since 2022, following the release of ChatGPT. Software apps now lead in AI integration, particularly in subcategories such as AI assistants and AI content generation tools. Other verticals showing notable growth include Health & Wellness, Jobs & Education, Lifestyle & Services, and Financial Services. Each saw more than 200 apps launch or update with AI-related terms in the first half of 2025.
Subgenres are also shaping adoption trends. Nutrition & Diet, Translation, Test Prep, Language Education, and Photo and Video Editing apps are among those seeing the fastest growth, as developers incorporate AI into practical and creative features.
Apps adding AI-related terms such as “AI,” “machine learning,” or “LLM” to their titles or descriptions saw measurable gains in visibility and adoption. Downloads rose by a median of 2.9% in the month following the addition of these terms, with sustained growth of 4.1% over the next two months. Gains were more pronounced on iOS compared to Google Play, suggesting platform-specific differences in user engagement.
While some of the growth may stem from App Store Optimization, many of these apps also rolled out new AI-powered features that contributed to higher demand.
The growing presence of AI in app descriptions underscores a broad shift in consumer expectations. Across the App Store and Google Play, AI is referenced more than 100,000 times, with terms ranging from broad phrases such as “AI-powered” to feature-specific functions like “AI translator” or “AI character.”
Practical apps are evident across categories. Nutrition and calorie-tracking apps highlight “scanner,” “recipe,” and “food” features, while photo editing apps emphasize AI tools for “avatars,” “cartoons,” and “tattoos.” AI assistants, meanwhile, often describe capabilities in terms of “coaching,” “mentor,” or “teacher,” reflecting their use in support and guidance.
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