AI governance, trust, and app growth - Adeel Shaikh Muhammad (Adeel Solutions)

The future of ASO in an AI world - Yevhen Tarasenko (Apptonomy)

Yevhen Tarasenko, CMO and co-founder of Apptonomy, joins Apptivate to discuss how app store optimization is evolving in the age of AI. After more than a decade in ASO, Yevhen shares how the discipline has changed from a keyword-focused practice into a broader challenge of app discoverability across app stores, search engines, Reddit, and large language models. The conversation explores the limitations of traditional ASO workflows, how AI is changing the way marketers analyze visibility, and why app teams need to think beyond rankings and metadata to succeed in a world increasingly shaped by AI recommendations and automated discovery. QUESTIONS ADDRESSED IN THIS EPISODE * How did Yevhen get started in ASO? * Why is app store optimization still so manual? * What inspired the creation of Apptonomy? * How can AI automate parts of the ASO workflow? * What is AI discoverability and why does it matter? * How are large language models changing app discovery? * Why is Reddit becoming increasingly important for app visibility? * What were the biggest AI and ASO themes at MAU Vegas? * How should app marketers prepare for AI-driven search and discovery? * What advice would Yevhen give someone entering ASO today? TIMESTAMPS * (0:05) — Introduction to Yevhen Tarasenko and Apptonomy * (1:10) — Getting started in ASO and the early days of app discovery * (3:00) — Building ASO teams and thinking systematically about growth * (3:54) — Freelancing, automation, and the origins of Apptonomy * (5:00) — How Apptonomy was founded through a LinkedIn article * (8:21) — Why ASO remains manual and repetitive in 2026 * (9:34) — AI discoverability and visibility across LLMs * (10:39) — Reddit, online presence, and app recommendations * (11:48) — Measuring discoverability and reporting results * (12:29) — MAU Vegas observations and industry trends * (13:12) — AI's impact on ASO and app discoverability * (15:00) — Advice for marketers entering ASO * (17:21) — Resources, communities, and where to find Yevhen * (18:15) — Closing remarks QUOTES * (4:17) “AI changes every month. Now we're using Claude, next month we're using ChatGPT or something else, and the quality standards with AI are not quite there.” * (8:21) “ASO, even in 2026, is still very manual and boring, and people are tired of doing the same thing all over again.” * (18:28) “AI will not replace ASO anytime soon. The human touch will be needed for at least 3-5 years.” MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE * Yevhan on Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/yevhentarasenko-aso-expert/] * Apptonomy [https://www.apptonomy.ai/]

Using incentives as your primary growth channel - Natasha Saviuk (Wealthsimple)

Natasha Saviuk, Growth Director at Wealthsimple, joins Apptivate to discuss how incentives evolved from simple promotions into one of the company's most effective growth channels. The conversation explores the lessons Natasha brought from her background in neuroscience, how Wealthsimple scaled from $15 billion to more than $125 billion in assets under management, and why physical rewards often outperform cash incentives. Natasha and Taylor also discuss campus growth strategies, virality, incrementality, account transfer incentives, and the surprising results of campaigns, ranging from free bubble tea to Apple products and even a house giveaway. QUESTIONS ADDRESSED IN THIS EPISODE * How did Natasha transition from neuroscience into growth marketing? * What lessons from scientific research apply to experimentation? * How did Wealthsimple approach growth in its early years? * Why did bubble tea outperform cash incentives? * How do incentives function as a standalone growth channel? * How can marketers measure incrementality in incentive campaigns? * Why did Wealthsimple pivot away from paid acquisition in 2022? * How can incentives drive high-value customer behavior? * How do you avoid attracting low-quality users through promotions? * What can marketers learn from Wealthsimple's house giveaway campaign? TIMESTAMPS * (0:41) — Natasha's background and transition from neuroscience to growth * (2:02) — Research, experimentation, and finding growth opportunities * (4:03) — Introduction to Wealthsimple and early growth challenges * (5:27) — Building network effects through campus growth strategies * (7:05) — The bubble tea experiment and local partnerships * (9:06) — Why physical rewards outperform cash incentives * (10:50) — Incentives as a dedicated growth channel * (12:23) — Measuring quality, incrementality, and long-term value * (14:02) — The 2022 market downturn and shifting growth strategy * (15:28) — Asset consolidation and scaling incentive programs * (16:25) — Avoiding reward-driven user behavior * (18:00) — Incentivizing long-term customer commitment * (19:46) — How marketers can get started with incentives * (20:10) — Common mistakes when launching incentive campaigns * (21:14) — The Wealthsimple house giveaway campaign * (22:31) — Rapid-fire questions begin * (25:06) — Where to find Natasha and closing remarks QUOTES * (7:19)  “It's not until we started doing partnerships with the local food places, in particular bubble tea, that we really stumbled upon something that was working.” * (16:50) “By having these stricter hold periods and clawbacks, it does deter people who maybe did just have the intention to gamify.” * (22:18)  “Sometimes the channel you should invest in is one that doesn't even exist, and you kind of just need to try and see what's resonating with your audience.” MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE * Wealthsimple [https://www.wealthsimple.com/] * Natasha on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-saviuk/]

AI governance, trust, and app growth - Adeel Shaikh Muhammad (Adeel Solutions)

Adeel Shaikh Muhammad, founder of Adeel Solutions, is an advisor on cybersecurity, AI governance, and digital risk. He joins Apptivate to discuss the growing tension between AI-powered growth and user trust. The conversation explores why AI governance is becoming essential for modern marketing teams, how over-personalization can create a sense of creepiness for users, and where companies are introducing AI without clearly defined use cases. Adeel and Taylor also discuss shadow AI, human oversight in automated systems, the security implications of AI agents, and practical frameworks that organizations can use to balance innovation, speed, and accountability as AI adoption accelerates. QUESTIONS ADDRESSED IN THIS EPISODE * What is AI governance and why does it matter? * How should companies balance growth, personalization, and user trust? * What mistakes are marketers making when adopting AI? * What is shadow AI and why is it becoming a problem? * When does AI-driven personalization become creepy? * How can AI improve marketing performance while hurting long-term value? * Which parts of marketing workflows should always include human oversight? * What are the biggest security concerns surrounding AI agents? * Who should own AI governance inside an organization? * What practical steps can companies take to implement AI guardrails? TIMESTAMPS * (0:00) — Introduction to Adeel Muhammad and his background * (1:58) — Where companies are in their AI adoption journey * (2:34) — Defining AI governance and the role of guardrails * (3:30) — The biggest mistakes marketers make with AI * (4:38) — AI use cases, visibility, and the rise of AI wrappers * (5:40) — The creepiness problem and over-personalization * (6:00) — When AI-driven growth starts eroding user trust * (7:41) — Shadow AI and unauthorized AI usage * (8:19) — Balancing speed, security, and business priorities * (9:45) — Warning signs that trust is breaking down * (10:12) — Why human oversight still matters * (11:00) — The biggest cybersecurity risks in AI * (13:11) — AI compliance, over-documentation, and risk prioritization * (15:26) — Who should own AI governance? * (16:57) — Human responsibility, AI access, and awareness training * (19:02) — Adeel's seven-step AI governance framework * (20:45) — The governance steps companies skip most often * (21:25) — Trust as the foundation for AI growth * (24:07) — Where to find Adeel and closing remarks QUOTES * (6:24)  “Growth breaks when the user feels watched, not when ads perform badly.” * (6:53) “AI is optimized for CTR but not LTV, so you get high clicks from low-quality users.” * (21:25) “The companies that win won’t be the fastest, but they will be the ones that scale trust alongside the growth.” MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE * Adeel Solutions [https://www.adeel.solutions/] * Adeel Muhammad on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/adeel-solutions/]

Fixing growth systems from the inside out - Ekaterina Gamsriegler (Mygroove)

Ekaterina Gamsriegler, former Head of Growth and Marketing at MyGroove and longtime advisor across music, education, and health apps, joins Apptivate to discuss why sustainable growth depends on systems rather than isolated wins. The conversation explores the nature of modern growth funnels, how creative strategy impacts retention and churn downstream, and why many teams optimize acquisition while misunderstanding activation and long-term value. Ekaterina and Taylor also discuss localization as a full-funnel growth lever, pricing strategy during high-intent seasonal periods, the realities of founder-led and offline growth channels, and how mapping the complete user journey can uncover hidden bottlenecks that data alone often misses. QUESTIONS ADDRESSED IN THIS EPISODE * Why does Ekaterina compare growth systems to a house of cards? * How do creative strategies affect retention and subscriber churn? * What mistakes do apps make during seasonal growth periods like Q5? * How should marketers evaluate long-term value instead of short-term ROAS? * Why can localization improve the entire growth funnel? * How did MyGroove grow paying subscribers 10x in one year? * What role should brand, PR, and offline channels play in app growth? * How should teams define activation properly? * What should marketers focus on during their first 90 days at a company? * How can apps balance credibility with accessibility for beginners? TIMESTAMPS * 0:12 — Introduction to Ekaterina Gamsriegler and MyGroove * 0:52 — MyGroove's global launch and mission * 1:41 — Growth as a "house of cards" rather than a puzzle * 3:18 — Diagnosing funnels and identifying hidden bottlenecks * 4:42 — How creatives shape retention and churn downstream * 6:56 — Credibility, UGC, and "fake podcast" creative concepts * 7:51 — Why acquisition mistakes appear 60–90 days later * 9:43 — Planning for Q5 and evaluating long-term value * 11:25 — Pricing strategy, willingness to pay, and cancellations * 12:52 — Localization as a full-funnel growth lever * 15:23 — Founder-led growth, PR, and offline channels at MyGroove * 18:23 — The biggest unlock behind 10x subscriber growth * 20:38 — Mapping the user journey and identifying bottlenecks * 23:08 — Activation metrics and offline user behavior * 25:56 — Personalization and contextual onboarding examples * 29:48 — Rapid-fire questions begin * 31:08 — Norway, Iceland, and travel recommendations * 31:33 — Vienna recommendations and closing remarks QUOTES * (2:22)  “Growth feels more like a house of cards because just one little change can completely ruin the whole system.” * (4:59) “What I see happening sometimes is a mismatch between the product, the user experience and the people who are being targeted with creatives.” * (22:38) “Build a user journey by mapping every single step from ad impression to renewal to purchase. This allows you to see where the bottlenecks are in your journey.” MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE * MyGroove [https://mygroove.app/en/] * Ekaterina on Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-shpadareva-gamsriegler/]

Remerge and the evolution of app retargeting - Pan Katsukis (Remerge)

Remerge CEO and founder, Pan Katsukis, joins Patrick Eichmann for the first video edition of Apptivate. They discuss the evolution of mobile advertising, the origin story behind Remerge, and where the industry is heading next. The conversation explores the rise of app retargeting, how ATT and privacy changes reshaped mobile growth, why probabilistic targeting is driving renewed momentum on iOS, and how AI is changing campaign optimization behind the scenes. Pan also reflects on Berlin’s startup scene in the late 2000s, the early days of mobile advertising before smartphones, and how infrastructure, automation, and user behavior will shape the next five years of app marketing. QUESTIONS ADDRESSED IN THIS EPISODE * How did Remerge get started in the early mobile era? * What was Berlin’s startup ecosystem like in 2008? * How did mobile advertising evolve before smartphones? * Why did app retargeting become such a large market? * How did ATT and privacy changes affect app marketers? * What role will AI play in campaign optimization? * Why is probabilistic retargeting becoming more important on iOS? * How does Remerge think about long-term product strategy? * What trends will define the next five years of mobile growth? TIMESTAMPS * 0:00 — Apptivate intro and Remerge video announcement * 1:27 — Introducing Pan Katsoukas and Remerge’s origin story * 2:11 — Pan’s background in mobile advertising before smartphones * 3:33 — Why Remerge was founded and the rise of app retargeting * 4:13 — Berlin’s startup ecosystem in the late 2000s * 7:27 — Evolution of mobile advertising and measurement infrastructure * 8:18 — User acquisition, app retargeting, and post-install marketing * 10:15 — ATT, privacy changes, and the industry shift on iOS * 12:23 — AI, automation, and the next generation of campaign optimization * 14:10 — The future of mobile usage and emerging business models * 16:14 — Probabilistic retargeting and the iOS “unlock” opportunity * 18:57 — Where Pan sees Remerge in the next five to ten years * 21:10 — Favorite app, running, and AI companions * 22:10 — Favorite travel destinations and closing rapid-fire questions QUOTES * (10:20)  “One of the big things that also everybody is aware of is with Apple and the privacy changes with ATT in 2020, 2021, when they launched it, there was a big shift in the whole industry.” * (12:27)  “With all the technology that is out there and what is capable, AI is one of the biggest drivers to just get better.” * (16:42)  “AI just gets better and better, so even without a clear 100% deterministic match, you’re still able to get good retention and good results for retargeting campaigns on iOS specifically.” MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE * Remerge [https://www.remerge.io/] * Pan Katsukis on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/katsukis/]