iWorld
36% Netflix originals to be non-English
MUMBAI: Netflix has realised that if it wants to be a global leader, it can't do so by expecting just it's English content to fly high. According to the latest report from Ampere Analysis, the company is eying local content highly in Europe and Asia with a focus on non-English originals.
The streaming platform has added eight and nine million subscribers respectively between 2017 and 2018 in these markets. Encouraged by the success of hits like Dark from Germany and Sacred Games from India, Netflix announced 24 new titles for Europe in Q4 2018.
Investment in local language content not only helps subscriber growth but also throws competition to homegrown rival fight by captivating users with high-quality international productions. Elite, Narcos and Sacred Games – all these series have been adored in both native and English language audiences which shows how the international productions serve double purpose. The report says 36 per cent of Netflix’s upcoming originals will be non-English, and 46 per cent will originate from outside the US and Canada.
The streaming giant is currently producing new content in 25 countries, with 133 titles originating outside of its home market North America. Netflix is heavily focused on specific markets, with the top two international producers of the UK and India accounting for 32 per cent of international productions, and the top five accounting for 56 per cent.
Moreover, it is rapidly increasing production in key markets across Asia and Europe and the markets with past hits are getting more importance. The UK has added 10 titles so far in Q4 2018 followed by eight in India.
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.
