The potential for artificial intelligence to reshape commerce is significant, but realizing that potential hinges on establishing transparency and accountability, according to InMobi Group CEO and founder Naveen Tewari. Speaking at the India AI Impact Summit, Tewari outlined a vision for “agentic commerce” – a system where AI proactively assists consumers in their purchasing decisions – that could unlock as much as $3 trillion in economic value for India over the next two decades.
Tewari’s core argument centers on a fundamental shift in how commerce operates. Rather than consumers actively searching for products, AI will anticipate needs and curate personalized “personal feeds” of relevant offerings. This moves beyond traditional “personalized feeds” which are driven by past behavior, to a dynamic system that responds to a user’s real-time context. “What you would see here is personal feeds of consumers getting created in real time with products on them,” Tewari said.
This transition, however, isn’t simply a technological upgrade. Tewari cautioned against repeating the mistakes of existing digital platforms, which he characterized as having created “distortion” and, in the case of social media, “manipulated attention.” Agentic systems, he stressed, must be built on a foundation of trust and openness. “If you bring AI intelligence into commerce, you fundamentally shift economic growth. But this must be authentic,” he stated.
The architecture underpinning this vision, as described by Tewari, involves a complex interplay of AI models. A key component is a “commerce intelligence graph” – a knowledge graph specifically designed to capture and understand commercial relationships and data. This graph feeds into a generative AI layer, which then produces tailored outputs for commerce applications. Essentially, the system aims to understand not just *what* a consumer might want, but *why* they want it, and then optimize the purchasing process accordingly.
This optimization extends to the entire buying journey. Tewari envisions a “living commerce context graph” that analyzes a consumer’s immediate situation – their needs, price sensitivity, and brand preferences – to identify the most efficient path to purchase. The system can then evaluate “millions and billions” of potential pathways to find the optimal solution. This “purchase-path optimisation” represents a significant leap beyond current e-commerce experiences.
InMobi is actively investing in this future. The company, through its consumer-facing business Glance, has already committed $200 million to Glance AI and a generative AI ad tech stack. Glance, which counts Google, Jio Platforms, and Mithril Capital among its investors, has raised $390 million to date at a valuation of $1.7 billion. InMobi itself retains approximately 50% ownership of Glance.
The implications of agentic commerce extend far beyond simply making shopping easier. Tewari believes that embedding intelligence into commerce will have a ripple effect throughout the economy, impacting supply chains, manufacturers, and economic productivity. He also suggested that AI could significantly extend human lifespan, citing advances in disease treatment and organ creation, with a “high probability” that individuals could live to 120 years.
Beyond healthcare, Tewari predicted that AI would address skill gaps and democratize expertise. He posited that within five years, AI tools could enable widespread coding proficiency, leveling the playing field for professionals. This increased productivity, he argued, would drive “disproportionate economic growth” and fundamentally alter prosperity and output levels.
However, the success of agentic commerce isn’t guaranteed. The need for transparency and accountability remains paramount. As AI becomes more deeply integrated into the commercial landscape, ensuring that these systems operate ethically and fairly will be crucial to building consumer trust and unlocking the full potential of this transformative technology. The challenge lies in creating a system that is both intelligent and responsible, avoiding the pitfalls of past digital platforms.
