Layer.ai's Alex Engel to discuss AI-led advancements in UA at PGC London

Pocket Gamer Connects, the leading international conference series for the global games industry, returns to London on January 19th to 20th, 2026. 

The must-attend conference will bring together 3,000 delegates from 70+ countries, including decision makers from key international games hubs across the globe. Companies set to join the show include Supercell, Epic Games, Duolingo, CD Projekt Red, Tencent, PlayStation, EA, AppLovin, TikTok and many more.

PGC London will host 32 tracks across two days, including at the Apps Business Summit (January 19th) and the Beyond Games: Transmedia Summit (January 20th).

One of the speakers set to join the conference is Layer.ai VP of product Alex Engel.

He leads the product strategy for AI-powered creation tools that used across UA, live ops, and creative teams. He brings 20+ years of experience building data-driven products in games and consumer tech, with prior leadership roles at DraftKings, Tripadvisor, Warner Bros. Games, and as co-founder and COO of Lovelace Studios.

Engel will be hosting the session entitled '2026: The Year UA Could Become Good, Fast, & Cheap?' on the AI Advances track.

The talk will delve into how teams are using AI tools and automation systems to deliver creative content at scale, peeling back the hype with case studies of how mobile games studios can supercharge their UA with the latest tooling.

We caught up with Engel ahead of the show for a quick-fire Q&A to discuss AI, industry trends, and more.

PocketGamer.biz: What’s the most common mistake you see being made in the games sector?

Alex Engel: That technological change will result in fewer jobs in the long-term, while past experience implies that the next 10 years should see an explosion in new, creative games from unlikely platforms and sources.

If you could give other mobile games companies one piece of advice, what would it be?

Start exploring the opportunities in Roblox, UEFN, and even non-code platforms where the next generation of players are coming out of.

Where are the next big opportunities in the mobile games market?

Personalised content and region-specific live ops.

What’s the most important key performance indicator (KPI) for you - and why?

It's always retention. One of the hardest metrics to move, one of the strongest predictors for current and future revenue, and the eveidence that you're building long-term relationships with your customers.

What is your biggest aspiration/goal in mobile gaming? 

To one day build the multi-franchise mecha-collecting gachapon game of my dream.

What developments do you think have been undervalued by the mobile games industry?

No-code sandbox titles like Roblox. Despite its popularity, few attempt to follow and perfect their mousetrap.

What game do you think offers something new, and exciting that hasn’t yet hit the mainstream?

Kairosoft's Demon Castle Story. It somehow nails creature collecting, leveling, and the dungeon-improvement loop of Dungeon Keeper in a new formula. Highly addicitive, and I think base-builders could leverage their insights.

What key trend should we be paying attention to in the next 12 months?

AI, since not enough studios are using it even close to its potential.

What are your thoughts on play-to-earn games?

Play-to-earn games are foolish to me. They are zero-sum markets built to capture the wealth in a handful of users who exit, and leave the rest holding the bag.

Because of that they will never reach the level of mass acceptance that walled gardens and puzzle games have reached.