Interested in developing an AI app but unsure about the cost or effort involved?
You’re not alone—many individuals and businesses face this concern.
In this article, we’ll provide a professional breakdown of AI app development costs and required man-hours.
We’ll also explore real-world cases by feature and scale, as well as practical tips and hidden pitfalls.
This guide will help you plan and budget effectively.
How much does AI app development cost?
Answer: AI app costs range from $2,000 to over $50,000.
The range depends on the type of app, features, and the AI model used.
Sample Cost Ranges
- Chatbot (API-based): $2,000–6,000
- Face recognition app: $10,000–25,000
- Speech-to-text app: $15,000–35,000
- Product recommender system: $40,000+
Estimated development periods:
- Small scale: 1–2 months
- Mid scale: 3–6 months
- Large scale: 6–12 months+
Source: METI Japan report on IT human resource (https://www.meti.go.jp/policy/it_policy/jinzai/houkokusho.pdf)
Steps in AI App Development
- Requirement definition
- UI/UX design
- Model selection/training
- Backend & frontend coding
- Testing and debugging
- Maintenance and updates
Most time is spent on AI model training and adjustment.
3 Common Development Patterns
1. ChatGPT API Integration
- Price: ~$2,000+
- Tech: Python / Flask / OpenAI
- Effort: 1 developer-month
2. Image recognition using TensorFlow
- Price: ~$10,000–15,000
- Tech: TensorFlow / Keras / iOS or Android
- Effort: 2–3 dev-months
3. LINE Chatbot Integration
- Price: $3,000–8,000
- Tech: LINE Messaging API / Node.js
- Effort: 1–1.5 dev-months
Common Pitfalls and Fixes
- Low model accuracy
- Expensive GPU training
- Errors during data prep
- API rate limits
Solutions:
- Use pre-trained APIs
- Run small tests on Colab
- Avoid over-customization early on
Python & Flask Sample Code
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