From Guesswork to Precision: How AI Platforms Are Reinventing RUA

For years, user acquisition felt like a mix of art, science… and a fair bit of guesswork. Marketers would launch campaigns, watch the numbers roll in, and try to deduce—sometimes painfully slowly—what was working. Rewarded User Acquisition (RUA) made this process more performance-driven by focusing on users who take meaningful post-install actions.

Now, artificial intelligence is taking RUA to the next level, eliminating much of the guesswork and replacing it with precise, real-time decision-making. The result? Campaigns that don’t just scale, but scale intelligently.

Why RUA and AI Are a Natural Fit

Rewarded UA is built around intent. Users aren’t rewarded for just installing an app; they earn rewards for completing specific in-game milestones like finishing tutorials, reaching levels, or unlocking new features. This ensures you’re not attracting “tourist” users who churn quickly, but players who are actively engaging.

AI supercharges this model by learning exactly which players are most likely to complete these milestones—and when, how, and why they do it. Instead of targeting broadly and hoping for the best, AI-driven RUA platforms can home in on the highest-quality prospects.

How AI Changes the Game

1. Hyper-Precise Targeting

Traditional targeting segments users by demographics, interests, or basic behavior patterns. AI goes further, analyzing real-time player data, playstyle tendencies, and micro-behaviors that humans wouldn’t notice.

Platforms like Gamelight use AI to match each user with games they’re most likely to enjoy and engage with long-term, ensuring ad spend goes to those who will actually deliver ROAS.

2. Dynamic Reward Optimisation

AI can predict which type of reward—whether it’s in-game currency, bonus levels, or unique skins—will most effectively drive the desired action for each player type. That means campaigns can adjust rewards on the fly for maximum impact.

3. Real-Time Campaign Adjustment

Instead of waiting days or weeks for performance data, AI models can adjust targeting parameters, reward thresholds, and even milestone requirements in real time. This agility helps campaigns maintain profitability even in volatile markets.

4. Predictive ROAS Modelling

AI platforms don’t just look at today’s performance—they project future value. By analysing early engagement patterns, they can predict with surprising accuracy whether a user will reach high-value stages of the game, allowing you to focus budget on the most promising cohorts.

Why This Matters More in 2025

The post-privacy, post-IDFA mobile marketing landscape has made measurement harder, but not impossible. Rewarded UA offers a privacy-friendly approach, and AI ensures the data that is available is leveraged to its fullest.

In 2025’s competitive mobile gaming market, UA strategies can no longer afford to be reactive. AI-powered RUA platforms are proactive—identifying, acquiring, and retaining the right players before competitors even know they exist.

The Gamelight Advantage

Gamelight combines rewarded UA with AI-driven targeting to deliver unmatched results for game publishers. Its platform:

• Identifies high-value players before acquisition

• Customises rewards to each user’s preferences

• Optimises campaigns in real time for retention and ROAS

• Aligns with publisher goals without extra reward costs

  
  

By replacing guesswork with precision, Gamelight helps studios scale smarter, not just faster.

Final Word

Rewarded UA was already one of the most efficient ways to acquire engaged players. With AI steering the ship, it’s becoming unstoppable. The shift from broad, trial-and-error campaigns to laser-focused, dynamically-optimised strategies is here—and the winners will be those who adopt it first.

If your current UA still feels like guesswork, it’s time to put AI in the driver’s seat.

Looking to boost your game's user acquisition?

Utilize a self-serve dashboard to easily and effectively enhance your UA efforts. These user-friendly dashboards give you complete control over your budget and offer extensive targeting options, making it a smart choice for elevating your game's reach.

Gamelight’s advertising platform is a leading mobile marketing solution equipped with an intuitive self-serve dashboard. Operating on a CPI basis, it drives direct traffic from a self-published mobile game recommendation platform. Moreover, you can set up your account and launch your first campaign in just 5 minutes!

Try the self-serve dashboard of the Gamelight advertising platform.

If you need help, fill in THIS FORM and one of our team members will get back to you within 24 hours.