iWorld
JioStar pulls the plug on IPTV piracy in Andhra
MUMBAI: In a major win for India’s digital rights landscape, JioStar’s swift action against the illegal IPTV app Rolex TV has led to a full-scale takedown in Andhra Pradesh. Acting on a detailed complaint from JioStar, law enforcement authorities in Annamayya district dismantled the operation, reaffirming that piracy, no matter how clever, won’t stay under the radar for long.
The move followed sharp ground intelligence gathered by JioStar’s distribution business growth team, whose on-field efforts helped trace and disrupt Rolex TV’s piracy network. Investigations revealed the app was illegally streaming more than 10,000 live channels and a massive library of global on-demand content, violating multiple intellectual property and broadcast rights.
In a disturbing twist, operators were found using Telegram and similar platforms to lure young people with fake “work-from-home” jobs. One minor was among those misled, shining a light on the growing social and ethical dangers of digital piracy.
Authorities have since shut down Rolex TV, striking a major blow against a cross-border piracy ring. The operation highlights how content theft not only causes financial damage but also raises broader cultural and security concerns for the nation.
Earlier this year, JioStar, working with Gujarat Cyber Police, had successfully dismantled another illegal IPTV network, BOS IPTV, which was responsible for revenue losses exceeding Rs 700 crore.
With this latest victory, JioStar has once again proved that protecting India’s digital ecosystem is not just a business priority but a moral one. The company continues to invest in surveillance, legal action, and public awareness to ensure content creators, distributors, and viewers can enjoy a fair and safe digital future.
e-commerce
American Express to acquire AI startup Hyper to boost automation
Deal targets expense management as AI reshapes corporate spending tools.
MUMBAI: From receipts to robots, the expense sheet is getting a brain upgrade as American Express moves to bring artificial intelligence into the heart of corporate spending. The company has announced plans to acquire Hyper, a relatively young but fast-rising startup founded in 2022 that builds AI-powered agents capable of organising expenses, generating reports, verifying compliance with budgets and policies, and nudging users with timely reminders. The deal, expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, underscores a growing shift among financial institutions to automate traditionally manual, time-heavy workflows.
Hyper counts Sam Altman among its backers, adding a layer of Silicon Valley credibility to the acquisition. While financial details remain undisclosed, the strategic intent is clear: deepen automation capabilities and sharpen American Express’s position in the competitive corporate spending ecosystem.
The two companies are not strangers. They previously collaborated in 2024 on a co-branded credit card product, suggesting that the acquisition is less a cold buy and more an extension of an existing relationship. With this move, American Express is effectively bringing that capability in-house, aiming to embed AI directly into its commercial services stack.
Chief executive Stephen Squeri had already signalled the direction of travel in a recent shareholder letter, describing AI as a “structural shift” in how businesses operate. The Hyper acquisition appears to be a direct response to that shift, particularly in expense management, where processes such as approvals, compliance checks and reporting remain ripe for automation.
Alongside the acquisition, the company is also expanding its product suite. A recently launched business credit card offers cashback and benefits at an annual fee of $295, with another card expected later this year moves that complement its broader push into commercial services.
Taken together, the strategy points to a future where managing expenses may require fewer spreadsheets and more algorithms. For American Express, the bet is simple, if businesses are rethinking how work gets done, the tools that power that work need to evolve just as quickly.
