Building AI Apps with Expo: A Complete Guide

Why Expo for AI Apps?

Expo is the fastest way to build universal native apps with React Native. For AI applications, Expo provides several advantages that make it the ideal choice for rapid development.

Getting Started

The first step in building an AI app with Expo is setting up your development environment. With our mobile boilerplate, this process is streamlined—you get a pre-configured Expo project with all the essentials.

Key Features for AI Apps

Camera Integration: Essential for computer vision AI apps
Audio Recording: Perfect for voice AI applications
Real-time Updates: Push updates without app store approval
Native Modules: Access to device capabilities

Integrating AI Services

Modern AI apps typically integrate with cloud AI services like OpenAI, Anthropic, or Google AI. Here's how to structure your app:

Set up secure API key management
Implement proper error handling
Add loading states and user feedback
Cache responses when appropriate

Authentication for AI Apps

AI apps often require user accounts to save preferences, history, and personalized data. Our boilerplate includes Supabase authentication with Google and Apple Sign-In, making it easy to get users onboarded quickly.

Monetization Strategies

AI apps can be monetized in several ways:

Subscriptions: Recurring revenue for unlimited access
Credits System: Pay-per-use model for AI requests
Freemium: Free tier with premium features
Ads: AdMob integration for free users

Performance Optimization

AI apps can be resource-intensive. Here are key optimization strategies:

Implement request debouncing
Use streaming responses when possible
Cache AI responses locally
Optimize image/audio before sending to AI

Testing Your AI App

Testing is crucial for AI apps. Use Expo's development build to test on real devices, and implement analytics to track user behavior and AI response quality.

Deployment

Expo makes deployment simple with EAS (Expo Application Services). Build for both iOS and Android from a single codebase, and push OTA updates instantly.

Conclusion

Building AI apps with Expo is faster and more efficient than ever. With the right boilerplate and tools, you can go from idea to production in days, not months.