Digital
Xapads Launches in The UK With Appointment of James Eppinger as Country Head
Mumbai: Xapads, the leader in advanced programmatic and innovative AdTech solutions, expands its operations into the UK market with the appointment of James Eppinger as Country Head. As Country Head, James will be responsible for building a specialist team to roadmap innovation requirements for local demand, while securing partnerships with technology and supply partners.
On his appointment, Nitin Gupta, CEO of Xapads, says: “It’s fantastic to have James on board as his years of experience and expertise will help us shape our business in the region. As a company, we have always focused our efforts on data and performance-driven AI capabilities and with him in our team, we aim to redefine industry standards and solidify our position as leaders in harnessing cutting-edge technology for market advantage.
James has a history of specializing and driving growth for businesses during pivotal points of development, including a number of local market launches. Most recently, he held the position of Country Head UK & EMEA at Datawrkz and prior to that, Regional Director of EMEA at Connatix, where he continued to make substantial contributions to the field.
Ramneek Chadha, Chief Operating Officer at Xapads further adds : “James’s leadership is expected to be a solid asset in reaching our business goals. He will play a significant role in helping us cultivate strong, positive relationships and maintain our commitment to high-quality service. As we begin to offer our specialized innovations to local markets throughout EMEA, James’s guidance will be valuable”.
Xapads is a fast-growing programmatic ad-tech firm, specializing in cross-device insights and intelligent AI that ensures guaranteed outcomes across the entire user journey.
On joining Xapads, James, Country Head, UK of Xapads, comments: “I’m excited to be part of a team that leads the way in innovation and creativity within the digital advertising sector. I’m eager to mirror Xapads’ success in the region, and to introduce their top-tier market offerings to independent media agencies, brands and partners across the UK and EU. I look forward to contributing to the delivery of impactful solutions that meet our clients’ needs”.
Digital
India leads global adoption of ChatGPT Images 2.0 in first week
From anime avatars to fantasy covers, users turn AI visuals into culture
NEW DELHI: India has emerged as the largest user base for ChatGPT Images 2.0, just a week after its launch by OpenAI, underlining the country’s growing influence on global internet trends.
While the tool was introduced as an advanced image-generation upgrade within ChatGPT, Indian users are quickly reshaping its purpose. Instead of sticking to productivity-led use cases, many are embracing it as a creative playground for self-expression, storytelling and online identity.
From anime-style portraits and cinematic headshots to tarot-inspired visuals and fictional newspaper front pages, the model is being used to create highly stylised, shareable content. Features such as accurate text rendering, multilingual prompts and the ability to generate detailed visuals with minimal input have helped drive rapid adoption.
What sets the latest model apart is its ability to “think” through prompts, generating multiple outputs and adapting to context, including real-time web inputs. But the bigger story lies in how users are engaging with it.
In India, trends are already taking shape. Popular formats include dramatic studio-style lighting edits, LinkedIn-ready headshots, manga-inspired avatars, soft pastel “spring” aesthetics, AI-led fashion moodboards, paparazzi-style visuals and fantasy newspaper covers. Users are also restoring old photographs, creating tarot-style imagery and experimenting with futuristic design concepts.
Local flavour is adding another layer. Prompts such as cinematic portrait collages and Y2K-inspired romantic edits are gaining traction, blending global aesthetics with distinctly Indian internet culture.
The surge reflects a broader shift in how AI tools are being used in the country, moving beyond utility to creativity. As younger users, creators and social media enthusiasts experiment with new visual formats, AI-generated imagery is increasingly becoming part of everyday digital expression.
If early trends hold, ChatGPT Images 2.0 may not just be a tech upgrade but a cultural moment, giving millions a new visual language to play with online.
