Marketers spend $824m on generative AI apps as installs rise
Marketers increased spending on generative AI apps to an estimated USD $824 million this year as brands expanded use of AI tools across advertising workflows, according to new data from AppsFlyer.
The company's annual analysis of mobile app trends reports a 16% rise in installs of generative AI apps across iOS and Android. The category ranked as the fastest growing on Android and the fourth fastest on iOS. AppsFlyer links this growth with rising use of AI assistants and creative and productivity tools in everyday consumer behaviour.
Alongside consumer adoption, the report records a step-up in the use of AI agents inside marketing teams. AppsFlyer examined AI agent usage data for the first time. It found that 57% of deployments focused on technical automation tasks such as configuration processes and data integrity checks. A further 32% supported business optimisation activities.
Usage patterns varied sharply between sectors. Gaming marketers used agents to tighten efficiency and protect margins as user acquisition costs fluctuated. Retail and fintech marketers used agents to scale traffic and transaction volume. AppsFlyer describes the current stage as supervised automation, in which AI systems support decisions while human teams retain strategic control.
Inna Weiner, VP Product, Data and AI at AppsFlyer, said adoption trends point in a different direction from some executive perceptions. "Many marketers say they are still struggling to measure clear ROI from AI, yet the adoption curve tells a different story," said Inna Weiner, VP Product, Data and AI, AppsFlyer. "GenAI apps are accelerating in consumer adoption, and behind the scenes marketers are increasingly deploying agents to simplify workflows and improve efficiency. AppsFlyer remains committed to helping teams navigate this rapidly evolving landscape with the clarity and confidence they need to grow."
UK ad surge
The study highlights a sharp increase in user acquisition (UA) spending in the UK. UA spend in the UK rose 92% year on year. AppsFlyer attributes the jump to substantial budgets from non-gaming advertisers and the Shopping category.
The UK also expanded its share of app marketing budgets in Europe. The country captured 35% more of Europe's app marketing spend in 2025 than in the previous year. Shopping brands and iOS-focused campaigns drove much of the shift, according to the data.
Weiner said the UK has moved into a new phase of market development.
"The UK saw exceptional momentum in 2025, led by strong non-gaming growth and continued iOS expansion. Marketers here are prioritising value, engagement, and long-term performance as the market matures," said Weiner.
iOS-led growth
Globally, iOS user acquisition spend grew 35%. Android UA spend remained flat over the same period. AppsFlyer reports that non-gaming advertisers increased UA budgets by 18% to USD $53 billion. Gaming UA spend grew 3% to USD $25 billion.
The report points to diverging platform trends across regions. Paid iOS installs rose between 40% and 85% across Western markets. Android paid installs declined in several mature app economies, falling 30% in the United States and 13% in the UK. Android still grew in large emerging markets, which softened the global impact of declines in developed regions.
Shopping reshapes spend
Shopping apps shifted the distribution of user acquisition budgets worldwide. Investment in acquiring new Shopping app users rose 70% overall. On iOS, Shopping UA spend increased 123%.
AppsFlyer links this surge with higher eCommerce budgets from China-based companies. These advertisers increased their spending in Shopping apps and in specific regions, which altered both category mix and geographic share in the global figures.
Remarketing push
Marketers also increased remarketing budgets as retention gained weight in their strategies. Global remarketing spend climbed 37% to USD $31.3 billion. It now represents 29% of all app marketing investment, up from 25% a year earlier.
iOS remarketing grew particularly quickly. Spending on iOS remarketing rose 71%. Transportation apps recorded a 362% increase. Travel remarketing spend increased 145%, while Finance saw a 135% rise.
AppsFlyer's analysis suggests that brands in these sectors concentrated on re-engaging existing users through paid activity. That shift reflects broader conditions in the app economy as acquisition costs rise and privacy policies continue to evolve.
Data scope
The trends in the report draw on AppsFlyer's aggregate, anonymised data. The dataset covers 32 billion paid app installs from 45,000 apps worldwide. It spans gaming, eCommerce, finance, lifestyle and other categories. The analysis measures user acquisition, remarketing, paid installs, category-level dynamics and AI agent usage for both iOS and Android.
AppsFlyer said marketers are still in the early stages of integrating AI agents into day-to-day operations at scale. The company expects AI-driven workflows and generative AI apps to play a larger role in app marketing and consumer engagement in the coming years.