MUMBAI: What happens when one of the world’s biggest smartphone giants teams up with a machine learning marvel? A global ad tech power play. Moloco, the operational machine learning company, has struck a global strategic partnership with Xiaomi’s International Internet Business Department, unlocking a fresh frontier in mobile advertising across more than 100 countries and regions. With Xiaomi boasting a staggering 702 million monthly active users, the alliance is set to supercharge advertising efficiency, targeting accuracy and developer growth worldwide.

As part of the deal, Moloco will bring its ML chops to optimise ad placements across Getapps (Xiaomi’s overseas app store), in-app inventory and lock screen ads. In return, Moloco’s advertisers get front-row access to Xiaomi’s high-value user base served through a tech ecosystem spanning mobile, smart homes, and even electric vehicles like the new Xiaomi SU7.

Having tested the waters in a pilot partnership in 2023, the results spoke for themselves. Daily ad spends soared, native and interstitial ad formats drove stronger conversions, and Xiaomi’s presence across Brazil, India, Turkey and Germany emerged as a serious magnet for advertisers chasing scale and precision.

Moloco, co-founder and CEO Ikkjin Ahn called the partnership a response to the rising need for “efficient monetisation and the ability to reach the right users.” He added, “Xiaomi’s global ecosystem is a perfect match for our machine learning platform. Together, we’ll unlock serious ROI for advertisers and push the boundaries of programmatic efficiency.”

Xiaomi International Internet Business general manager Qiang Song echoed the sentiment, noting that Moloco has already “helped enhance the competitiveness of our ad platform.” With more AI-powered tools on the horizon, both companies are eyeing innovative monetisation models that could reshape how brands connect with mobile-first consumers.

Whether you’re an app developer chasing downloads or a marketer craving smarter reach, this partnership may just be the algorithmic edge you’ve been waiting for.