About the Series
The ASI Sprint Report Series serves as a conduit for exploring the phenomenon of ‘appification’ and its various societal, cultural, and political-economic impacts worldwide. Dedicated to critical app studies inquiry, this series showcases ongoing research efforts conducted by researchers associated with the App Studies Initiative (ASI) in collaboration with Master’s students. Published by the ASI, each report features the latest research generated during recent ‘sprints’, with the aim of disseminating ongoing research within the broader app and platform studies research community.
No. 2 (May 2025): ‘Appification in the Age of AI: Exploring AI App Cultures and Economies’
As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly integrated into everyday life and digital environments, its presence in applications (‘apps’) warrants closer examination. This report explores what we call the ‘appification of AI’—the process by which AI technologies are embedded into daily life and practices via apps and app ecosystems. Drawing on insights from app studies, platform studies, and critical AI studies, the report investigates how different kinds of AI apps and app ecosystems—whether marketed as applications, ‘agents’, ‘solutions’, ‘custom models’, ‘GPTs’, or other forms—are shaping user experiences, business models, and digital infrastructures. It maps the rapidly expanding landscape of AI apps across multiple spheres, from generative AI mobile apps and chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT to enterprise-focused AI tools distributed through cloud AI marketplaces. Combining app ecosystem analysis and a ‘multi-situated’ approach to app studies and collaborating with Master’s students, the report presents a series of mappings and case studies that highlight how AI apps are reshaping different sectors and spheres of everyday life. Ultimately, the report underscores the significance of critical app and platform studies in understanding the cultural, economic, and political dimensions of AI technology across various application contexts and cases.
Download and read more: https://doi.org/10.17605/osf.io/hv34x [PDF].
Suggested citation: van der Vlist FN and Weltevrede E (eds) (2025, May 28) Appification in the Age of AI: Exploring AI App Cultures and Economies (ASI Sprint Report Series No. 2). App Studies Initiative (ASI). DOI: 10.17605/osf.io/hv34x.
About the report: This second ASI Sprint Report stems from the 2024–2025 Master’s elective course ‘Appification: The Cultures and Economies of Apps’, and the Cultural Data & AI Master’s Embedded Research Project ‘The Appification of AI: Exploring Emerging AI App Ecosystems and Infrastructures’, both developed, taught, and supervised by the editors in the Department of Media Studies at the University of Amsterdam, Faculty of Humanities. The chapters present the research undertaken by students as part of the Embedded Research Project and the course’s concluding themed ‘data sprint’, organised within the Department of Media Studies. All contributors are listed in the Contributors section of the report.
No. 1 (May 2024): ‘The Nationality of Apps: Exploring National App Cultures and Economies’
As Apple’s App Store approaches its 16th anniversary, regulations, markets, and services have evolved into local offerings of what was once a unified marketplace, resulting in distinct app experiences worldwide. In the context of ongoing efforts to regulate the digital sphere, dominant app stores like Apple’s App Store and the Google Play Store play a pivotal role in delineating and controlling boundaries between countries or regions within the app ecosystem. This report delves into the implications of this trend for country-specific and regional cultures and economies of apps, as well as the diverse manifestations of ‘appification’ on a global scale. Through a series of diverse case studies conducted together with our Master’s students, adopting a ‘multi-situated’ approach to app studies, it illuminates the multifaceted impact of apps on everyday life, cultural and economic dynamics, and geopolitical events. Ultimately, the report underscores the importance of critical app studies and its ongoing relevance in comprehending the cultural, economic, and political dimensions of mobile apps and appification across countries and regions worldwide.
Download and read more: https://doi.org/10.17605/osf.io/hv34x [PDF].
Suggested citation: van der Vlist FN and Weltevrede E (eds) (2024, May 31) The Nationality of Apps: Exploring National App Cultures and Economies (ASI Sprint Report Series No. 1). App Studies Initiative (ASI). DOI: 10.17605/osf.io/hv34x.
About the report: This first ASI Sprint Report stems from the 2023–2024 Master’s elective course ‘Appification: The Cultures and Economies of Apps’, taught by the editors in the Department of Media Studies at the University of Amsterdam, Faculty of Humanities. The chapters present the research undertaken by students as part of the course during its concluding themed ‘data sprint’, organised within the Department of Media Studies. All contributors are listed in the Contributors section of the report.