Google-backed Glance launches $200-mn AI-based commerce platform for hyper-real visual shopping

Google-backed Glance, the mobile content platform of InMobi, has launched Glance AI, a generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) commerce engine aimed at transforming the way users discover and shop for fashion. The company spent approximately $200 million to build the offering on top of Google's Gemini.

The platform blends photorealistic try-ons, inclusive of avatar modeling and AI-styled looks for a personalised shopping experience. Earlier this week, Google also launched a similar product in the US, where users can try clothes virtually.

“We have worked with elements that Google provides and a few other players, and then we stitch it together at our end and fine-tune the model to actually work in a perfect manner. On a scale basis almost up to $200 million, if not more, to get it here,” CEO of Glance Naveen Tewari told Moneycontrol.

Glance operates digital platforms such as lock screen search Glance and trends-first platform Roposo. Glance is a subsidiary of InMobi and is funded by Jio Platforms and Mithril Capital, apart from Google.

The Singapore-headquartered firm's newest offering is now available worldwide on both Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.

While the initial model is trained on fashion, the Glance plans to extend into newer categories such as beauty, accessories, and travel later this year.

The model itself is trained on Google’s Gemini and Imagen on Vertex AI, delivering hyper-realistic, personalised experiences to users.

Glance’s AI model is built on an open architecture with deep integrations across hardware and software with manufacturers, telecom operators, and brands. It turns phones into AI phones, TVs into household commerce devices and brand stores into AI shopfronts.

Glance said in just a few weeks, the platform has garnered over 1.5 million active users. Users have generated over 40 million style requests, with 50 percent downloading or sharing their personalised styles, 40 percent tapping through to begin a shopping journey.

CEO Naveen Tewari said that unlike conventional e-commerce stores that simply display multiple products to browse or search for, Glance AI’s unique selling point is that it lets users discover their AI-curated stylised looks.

Users can purchase from over 400 global brands with just a click, and from multiple brands. Glance has assured that users will retain control over their data.

On the cost front, CEO Naveen Tewari said Glance AI is the most advanced, most cost-efficient in the world today when it comes to image generation. “That's one of the biggest ideas that we work with Google on… we would not have been able to make this sustainable if the costs were 10 times higher,” the CEO added.

Tewari also said that he sees cost coming down as we go forward. “One of our biggest IPs in the high-fidelity image at low cost.”

The model is trained on approximately two decades of global commerce data, learning from new trends, cultures, and consumer behaviour, the company informed. Moreover, the agent AI understands shopping intent before consumers in the transaction journey model.