Apple has started rolling out its anticipated AI-generated tags feature in the developer beta of iOS 26, aiming to enhance app visibility and discoverability within the App Store. Although currently limited to the developer beta, these AI-generated tags have not yet been integrated into the public App Store, nor do they presently influence the store’s public-facing search algorithms.
Speculation among developers and app analysts is rising about how these new AI-assigned tags could influence an app’s search rankings once fully implemented. App intelligence provider Appfigures previously analyzed Apple’s strategies, proposing that metadata from app screenshots might already be shaping search results. Specifically, Appfigures theorized that textual content embedded within the screenshots was being utilized through Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology.
However, Apple’s official statements at its recent Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC 25) clarified that the company does indeed factor screenshots and associated metadata into discoverability, though not via OCR as previously guessed. Instead, Apple announced the use of advanced AI methods to extract and interpret information. This approach enables Apple to gather relevant descriptive content from sources traditionally underutilized for ranking, such as screenshots, app categories, and lengthy descriptions, without requiring developers to explicitly include specific keywords.
Ultimately, Apple’s move allows developers some degree of control, as they will be able to review and manage these AI-generated tags associated with their apps before finalizing them. Additionally, Apple reassured developers that every AI-generated tag would undergo human review prior to becoming publicly visible.
This feature, once adopted globally, is likely to alter how users discover apps and how developers approach App Store optimization. Understanding precisely how these tags influence search visibility and rankings will become critically important for developers aiming to enhance their app’s visibility and market performance.
