Artificial intelligence (AI) is redefining the application development landscape, introducing capabilities that go far beyond traditional functionality. This transformation enables the creation of highly personalized user experiences, the intelligent automation of complex processes, and the integration of advanced predictive analytics. AI is no longer a niche technology, but an essential component for modern applications that seek to remain competitive and meet growing user expectations. Projections indicate that by 2025, over 75% of mobile applications will integrate AI to improve functionality and speed.

The application of AI in apps comes in many forms, each with a significant impact on user interaction and operational efficiency. These range from customer support chatbots in banking apps that offer instant answers and assistance, to personalized recommendation systems used by platforms such as Netflix and Spotify. Image and voice recognition, exemplified by the automatic tagging of faces and objects in Google Photos or the ability of Google Assistant and Siri to execute voice commands , show how AI can simplify everyday interactions. In addition, predictive analytics, used in health and finance apps to predict weight changes or future events based on user data , highlights the potential of AI to provide proactive and personalized insights.

This report aims to provide an in-depth analysis of the tools currently available for developing AI applications. A clear distinction will be made between commercial and paid solutions and those that support the development and inference of AI models locally on devices, including PCs and smartphones, as opposed to cloud-based solutions. The goal is to provide technical decision makers and developers with the information they need to choose the most appropriate tools based on their specific needs, taking into account factors such as cost, performance, privacy and development complexity.

I. Commercial and Paid Tools for AI App Development

The AI ​​application development tools market is large and evolving, with a strong emphasis on platforms that simplify the AI ​​integration process. This section explores the main categories of commercial and paid tools, focusing on low-code/no-code platforms and cloud-based AI services.

A. Low-Code/No-Code Platforms with Integrated AI Capabilities

Low-Code/No-Code (LCNC) platforms are a revolutionary approach to application development, enabling a broader audience, including citizen developers and enterprise users, to create software solutions. These platforms use visual interfaces and pre-built components, dramatically reducing the need for manual coding and accelerating the development cycle. The integration of AI into LCNC platforms amplifies these benefits even further, automating complex aspects of intelligent application development.

The presence of features such as “rapid app generation from prompts” in tools like Softr and Create , or the ability to “build with a single prompt” offered by Create , demonstrate how AI is taking an active role in the early design and prototyping phases. This not only lowers the barrier to entry for non-developers, but also accelerates the entire development lifecycle. The extension of this democratization is also observed in the later stages, where AI assists in debugging and optimizing workflows, transforming the role of the developer from a mere coder to an orchestrator of AI processes.

Many LCNC platforms were not born with a primary focus on AI, but are integrating AI capabilities as “add-ons” or enhancements. This indicates a market trend where AI is becoming an expected capability rather than a niche differentiator. For example, Airtable, an established database and data management platform, has introduced “Cobuilders” with AI capabilities to enhance “data views” and customize “app writing.” Similarly, Microsoft Power Apps, part of a larger software ecosystem, integrates AI for “creating and editing” apps. This shows that AI is not limited to building AI-native apps, but is increasingly being used to enhance the capabilities of existing platforms, making processes more intelligent and automated. AI, in this context, acts as a cross-cutting enabler.

Below is an analysis of the main LCNC tools with integrated AI capabilities:

  • Softr: Praised for its ease of use and speed of generating apps from prompts. It offers a free plan and paid plans starting at $59/month.
  • Microsoft Power Apps: Stands out for creating and editing apps with the help of real-time AI. Plans start at $20/user/month, with "per app" options at $5/app/user and "pay-as-you-go" for Azure users. Full integration may require subscription or setup of other Microsoft services, such as Dynamics 365 or Azure Cloud. It is especially advantageous for companies already integrated into the Microsoft ecosystem.
  • Quickbase: Designed for building enterprise-level applications, with advanced data governance capabilities. Its AI Smart Builder, still in beta, lets you create internal tools from detailed prompts, accepting more specific instructions than other options. Prices start at $35/user/month for a minimum of 20 users.
  • Airtable Cobuilder: It excels in its data views and native Airtable integration. Airtable AI can customize app text and generate meaningful data views based on the types of data used. It is included with Airtable, which offers a free plan and paid plans starting at $20/user/month.
  • Create: Lets you build an entire application with a single prompt. It has a free plan and paid plans starting at $19/month.
  • Databutton: Lets you develop with an AI agent, providing a transparent AI thought process and a high level of control. The initial plan is $20/month.
  • Appsmith: An open-source low-code platform for building custom business applications. It offers a free plan (up to 5 cloud users), a Business plan at $15/user/month (up to 99 users), and an Enterprise plan at $2,500/month for 100 users. Allows self-hosting, but cloud hosting is limited to the free tier.
  • Mendix: Scalable low-code platform with a focus on agility and collaboration, allowing you to build AI apps quickly. Offers a free tier, with paid plans starting at $58/user/month.
  • UI Bakery: Designed for internal tools and enterprise applications, features a drag-and-drop interface and over 75 pre-built components. Offers a free tier, with paid plans starting at $5/user/month + $10/developer/month.
  • Superblocks: Geared toward building secure internal apps. Offers a free tier, with paid plans starting at $15/user/month + $49/creator/month.
  • Appian: A powerful low-code platform for workflow automation and AI integration. Offers a free tier, with pricing available upon request.
  • Bubble: Offers powerful AI integrations through its BubbleAI features, capable of creating a complete application from a simple prompt. AI assists throughout the development process, suggesting improvements and helping with debugging.
  • Webflow: Supports AI through built-in features and third-party integrations (e.g., OpenAI, ChatGPT) for content generation and SEO optimization. It focuses primarily on front-end development and requires external tools for complex backend logic.