How AI is Transforming UA for Game Publishers
User acquisition (UA) is evolving, and AI is at the center of this transformation. In 2025, AI-powered tools are making it easier for game publishers to find the right players, adjust campaigns in real time, and create more effective marketing strategies.
At Gamelight, we’ve seen firsthand how AI-driven UA delivers better results by making campaigns smarter and more adaptive. This report, the fifth installment of our Mastering UA: Techniques and Trends for 2025 series, explores how AI is changing the way publishers approach UA and why it’s becoming an essential part of every successful campaign.
The Role of AI in Modern UA
AI helps publishers make smarter decisions by analysing massive amounts of data and providing real-time insights. Here’s how it improves campaign performance:
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Understanding Player Behaviour: AI studies how users interact with games to find patterns, interests, and trends.
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Smarter Targeting: AI segments audiences more precisely, helping publishers reach high-value players.
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Real-Time Adjustments: AI constantly fine-tunes campaigns based on live data, ensuring better performance.
As Sven Jürgens, App Growth Consultant & Advisor at Sven Jürgens Consulting, explains:
AI is changing the game in user acquisition by making campaigns smarter and faster. It helps predict what users will like, tests ads automatically, and targets the right people. AI tools will be a great addition for anyone running ads.
Myth vs. Reality: AI in UA
While some still worry that AI might replace marketers altogether, those closer to the frontlines see a different picture: one where the real disruption lies not in replacement, but in evolution. As Thomas Kriebernegg, General Manager at SplitMetrics Agency, puts it:
I personally don’t buy into the idea that AI is here to replace marketers. What’s really happening is that marketers who know how to harness AI will start replacing those who don’t — whether due to lack of motivation or because they’re stuck in slow-moving enterprise environments with legal barriers to innovation. The real disruption will come when lean, AI-native teams outperform legacy giants with teams 10x their size.
​Why AI-Driven UA Works Better
More Accurate Targeting
AI can identify the most relevant players by analyzing demographics, gaming habits, and engagement history. This ensures campaigns reach the right users at the right time, improving conversion rates and reducing wasted spend.
Personalised Campaigns
AI enables campaigns to adapt to each player’s preferences, making marketing efforts feel more relevant.
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Tailored Creatives: AI selects the best images, videos, and messages for different player segments.
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Dynamic Calls-to-Action (CTAs): Campaigns adjust messaging in real time based on player behaviour.​​
Melanya Laz, Head of Growth at Elevatix, expands on the capabilities of AI:
AI is transforming the gaming industry by enabling smarter, data-driven campaign optimisation and creative testing. At Elevatix, we use AI to deliver hyper-personalised experiences that adapt in real time to player behaviour. In 2025, AI will be the key to driving efficient and engaging UA strategies.
Targeting That Adapts
AI targeting works by analysing large volumes of data, such as demographics, gaming behaviour, and user preferences, to match each user with the most relevant game. This level of granularity allows for far more precise targeting compared to manual setups, which often rely on broader segments like age and gender groups. The result is better campaign performance, higher conversion rates, and less wasted spend.
Faster, More Effective Creative Testing
AI speeds up the testing process by analysing multiple versions of creatives at once. It quickly identifies which visuals, messages, and formats perform best, allowing publishers to scale what works — faster.
​​As explained by Renata Ravilova, Head of PR & Community at UGC Ninja:
AI is an accessible supporting tool that can enhance both your internal work and user flow. Without the right implementation you can easily fall behind. In creative assets production AI works miracles with: research optimisation, analytics automation.
This keeps campaigns fresh and ensures that players see the most engaging and relevant content.
AI-Powered Tools Shaping the Future of UA
Several AI-driven solutions are helping publishers run smarter UA campaigns:
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Predictive Analytics: Anticipates player behaviour to improve targeting.
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Creative Automation: AI-generated suggestions for content and visuals.
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Real-Time Dashboards: Provides live insights to help UA teams make quick, data-driven decisions.
The Future of UA: AI and Market Trends
As we covered in our report on hybrid-casual games, adaptability is essential. AI helps publishers stay agile by enabling spontaneous adjustments, informed by user behaviour and market shifts.
Together, AI and the hybrid-casual model form a powerful synergy for game publishers focused on scalability and efficiency.
According to Kseniia Maiboroda, founder and CEO of Elevatix:
Real-time personalisation is no longer a nice-to-have — it’s a revenue driver. AI-powered algorithms allow us to analyse player behaviour on the fly, test creatives dynamically, and serve the right IAPs at the perfect moment. It’s the same logic behind what makes Netflix or Amazon feel so intuitive — and when applied to games, it can transform both player experience and monetisation performance.
Conclusion
AI isn’t just an upgrade: it’s a shift in how UA is run. By improving targeting, streamlining creative testing, and delivering real-time insights, AI empowers publishers to acquire users more effectively than ever before.
At Gamelight, we believe AI is the foundation of the next wave of UA innovation. For publishers ready to scale intelligently in 2025, AI isn’t optional, it’s essential.