DataSapien unveils AI platform for secure, cloud-free mobile apps

DataSapien has launched an open beta of its device-native artificial intelligence platform, aiming to allow app publishers to run small AI models directly on smartphones and tablets.

By facilitating on-device processing, the company says it enables private, cloud-free AI-powered features while reducing operating costs and protecting user data.

Cost challenges

Many companies investing in AI technologies have faced high cloud computing costs and unpredictable per-token fees from third-party providers. As industry figures report an estimated $109 billion in AI investments globally, between 74% and 80% of AI deployments are said to fail in realising commercial value, often due to high infrastructure costs and low user engagement.

DataSapien's platform provides a model marketplace where app publishers can select and integrate optimised small language models (SLMs) designed to run efficiently on consumer devices without active internet connections. Among the models available are Google's Gemma 3n, LiquidAI's LFM Nanos, Meta's Llama 3 and Microsoft's Phi-4, each optimised for mobile and edge applications.

Privacy considerations

The expanding use of cloud-based AI has raised persistent concerns around privacy and data control. DataSapien's architecture processes information locally, which limits the sharing of user data and addresses the risk of personal information being exposed or monetised externally. The system leverages what it calls a Personal Data Store - a secure, private vault of contextual information such as health, financial and location data - while maintaining that the data does not leave the device.

StJohn Deakins, co-founder and Chief Executive of DataSapien, described the current cloud-based AI model as problematic for businesses, particularly when considering privacy and operational costs.

"The cloud AI model is broken. Businesses are currently trapped. To get smart AI, they have to hand over their customer data to Big Tech and pay a 'tax' on every interaction. It's expensive, slow, and dangerous.

We are handing the power back to the device owner and the app publisher. With the release of incredible small models like Gemma 3n and LiquidAI, the smartest AI is no longer in a data centre, it's in your pocket. We just built the bridge to get it there. Our customers are seeing 44x higher engagement and 100% cost reduction in Cloud AI fees. This is the platform shift mobile has been waiting for," said Deakins.

Customisable deployment

The platform incorporates a no-code visual tool for designing AI-driven user journeys and allows for rapid switching between AI models without redeployment of an app. This flexibility may be attractive to publishers who wish to adopt new AI developments as they arise, without risking service interruption or increased technical debt.

Beyond reduced costs, DataSapien reports that early adopters of the platform in its testing phase have seen as much as a 44-fold increase in user interaction when compared with traditional cloud-based mobile customer experience tools.

Regulatory context

The emergence of data protection regulations and increasing consumer focus on privacy has challenged businesses to reconsider how user data is processed and stored. Local, device-driven processing models may offer a way to comply with a shifting regulatory landscape, while also delivering personalised digital services directly within mobile applications.

The platform is available now in open beta, providing access to the DataSapien software development kit and a library of supported models.