iWorld
NGC US teams up with VOD service provider Akimbo
MUMBAI: This is an initiative that sees National Geographic in the US trying to leverage the strength of emerging digital media delivery platforms.
American company Akimbo Systems which claims to be the first company to deliver digital-quality video-on-demand (VOD) to any television through a broadband-Internet connection has announced a deal with National Geographic Television & Film (NGT&F).
NGT&F has joined a list of companies that provide video programming for the Akimbo Service. Akimbo offers consumers a video-on-demand (VOD) service that is delivered to televisions via the Internet and allows consumers to create their own personal television experience.
The Akimbo Service will be offering a selection of titles from National Geographic’s library consisting of 25,000 hours of adventure, science, natural history, current affairs and cultural programming. In addition, feature films will include Inside the Pentagon,, Ambassador: Inside the Embassy, Egypt: Quest for Eternity and 21 Days to Baghdad.
Akimbo CEO Josh Goldman said, “The National Geographic brand is recognised and respected worldwide. Movies and documentaries from their vast library represent the type of A-level programming that makes the Akimbo Service unique. Now, Akimbo users can access these informative and educational programmes on demand.”
The Akimbo Service works with the Akimbo Player. This is a set-top box that can store up to 200 hours of video, and provides consumers with viewing controls such as pause, rewind and archive. The Akimbo Player has an onscreen programme guide and a customised remote control. The Akimbo Player utilises widely adopted technology for playback including Windows Media 9 technologies for audio and video compression, and digital rights management.
iWorld
Meta launches AI connectors for ads in open beta
Tools enable campaign creation, reporting and insights via AI platforms.
MUMBAI: If ads were once about gut feel, Meta now wants them run on autopilot with AI riding shotgun. The company has unveiled its Meta ads AI connectors in open beta, a move aimed at embedding campaign creation, management and analysis directly into the AI tools advertisers already use. The push reflects a broader shift in digital advertising: from platform-led workflows to AI-assisted, cross-tool execution.
At the heart of the rollout are Meta’s ads model context protocol (MCP) server and a command line interface (CLI), which together allow advertisers to securely link their ad accounts to AI agents. The promise is straightforward real campaign data, not generic prompts, powering decisions across workflows.
The connectors are designed to streamline multiple layers of campaign management. Advertisers can generate detailed performance reports, create and edit campaigns using natural language, manage product catalogues, and diagnose signal quality, all without leaving their preferred AI environment.
Meta is also leaning into ease of adoption. For MCP, the company says setup requires no coding, developer credentials or API integrations, positioning the tools as accessible for businesses of varying sizes and technical maturity.
The launch complements Meta’s existing AI business assistant within Ads Manager, which focuses on recommendations and troubleshooting inside the platform. The connectors, by contrast, extend that intelligence outward into third-party AI tools that marketers increasingly rely on for cross-channel planning and automation.
The underlying strategy is clear: instead of forcing advertisers deeper into its ecosystem, Meta is meeting them where they already work while still keeping its data and ad infrastructure at the core of decision-making.
As AI continues to reshape how campaigns are conceived and executed, Meta’s latest move signals a future where managing ads may feel less like operating software and more like having a conversation.
