InMobi and Scope3 launch AI agents for autonomous mobile ad buying

This launch signals a strategic shift from commoditized, high-frequency bidding to intelligence-driven negotiation for premium inventory. By replacing brittle programmatic pipes with agentic workflows, publishers like InMobi can preserve the context of high-intent surfaces like Glance that typically lose value in traditional auctions. For the broader ecosystem, this validates the Ad Context Protocol as a viable contender to OpenRTB for non-standard, high-value supply. Expect to see if performance benchmarks from early agentic transactions induce major holding companies to move beyond their current 66% focus on AI buying tools and commit to full financial execution via agents by late 2026.

The rollout of InMobi’s agentic seller arrives as the industry transitions from AI experimentation to core infrastructure. Per the IAB 2026 Outlook Study released in January 2026, two-thirds of ad buyers are now focused on deploying AI agents for ad buying and optimization. This rapid adoption is part of a broader trend where 96% of marketers report using AI to support performance channels, seeking to manage a 9.5% projected increase in U.S. ad spend through automated pacing and budget reallocation. While customer acquisition remains a top priority for 54% of buyers, the IAB found that focus on repeat purchases has surged to 25%, as agents allow for more scalable, data-rich retention strategies.

The Ad Context Protocol (AdCP) is central to this transition, serving as a standardized 'common language' for interoperability. Launched in October 2025 by a consortium including Yahoo, PubMatic, and Scope3, AdCP is intended to bridge today’s programmatic ecosystem with a future of direct agent-to-agent transactions. Unlike previous proprietary attempts at automation, AdCP is governed by an independent industry body, AgenticAdvertising.org, which seeks to prevent the fragmentation seen in earlier programmatic eras. Per Digiday in June 2026, some agencies are finding that while AI adoption is accelerating, only 40% of companies have realized cost savings greater than 10%, indicating that the focus is currently shifting from mere efficiency to total system transformation.

Simultaneously, InMobi’s subsidiary Glance has been expanding its footprint to support these new transaction models. Per Fortune India in May 2025, Glance expanded from its Android roots to launch an AI-driven shopping app for iOS, aiming for 100 million devices across phones and televisions by the end of that year. This expansion into developed markets like the U.S. and Japan, integrated with commerce-focused AI, provides the high-intent first-party data that agentic sellers need to negotiate outcomes—such as brand lift or conversion—rather than just selling impressions.