iWorld
ALTBalaji partners with Microsoft and Eko India Financial Services to pilot a cloud coordinated content distribution network that saves cellular data
MUMBAI: Leading homegrown OTT platform, ALTBalaji has announced a consumer benefitting alliance with Microsoft and Indian fintech company, Eko India Financial Services Pvt. Ltd. The association will allow the digital SVOD platform’s subscribers to use Microsoft’s BlendNet technology to download and access ALTBalaji content without consuming large amounts of cellular data.
BlendNet technology enables videos to be disseminated through a combination of cloud-enabled metadata systems. The file is then transferred onto the recipient’s mobile using peer-to-peer local Wi-Fi, after asking for the necessary permissions from the users. While the creation of this cloud plane might need a data network, the transfer of data will happen over local WiFi. Subscribers will be able to browse through all the content available within the app and get those files offline from nearby EKO retail stores, as well as from other users who have the same content that is being searched for. A subscriber on an average consumes 2-3 episodes per day using 1GB of their data, BlendNet will ensure that bulk data transfers happen locally increasing content consumption amongst its audience. Incase, the consumer is in a remote region, then BlendNet will postpone the downloading of content till you come to a place where someone else has the same file nearby. This feature serves as a value proposition for ALTBalaji subscribers as they can now access their favourite content even in areas with low internet connectivity without adding any data costs over and above to the subscription cost which is an economical Rs 100 for 3 months and Rs 300 for the annual pack.
Speaking on the technical association, Nachiket Pantvaidya, CEO ALTBalaji and Group COO Balaji Telefilms said, “These technologies enable a large portion of the Indian population to bridge the digital divide and are enabling audiences from India’s heartland to access and participate in the digital revolution. At ALTBalaji it has always been our endeavour to reach out to the masses and enhance our users’ experience through such services, while being affordable. And through this pilot feature, we aim to attract more viewers to our platform from areas with not so good internet connectivity.”
Dr. Sriram Rajamani, Managing Director, Microsoft Research India, said “It’s inspiring to see new solutions that enable end users across the socio-economic spectrum to access content and data in ways that are cost effective and impactful. Such technologies that combine the cloud with cheap, readily available and seamless connectivity for the end user have the potential to positively impact the lives of millions of people.”
Meetul Patel, COO, Microsoft India, said, “Technological innovation is a great enabler towards a more digitally connected nation. Microsoft’s BlendNet is a great example of advanced technologies being used to make information and content accessible to all. It leverages the power of the cloud and intelligent edge networks to address gaps in connectivity and reduces the costs of content distribution. We are excited about this partnership which will help many more in India access and experience the benefits of digital content.”
Commenting on the association, Abhinav Sinha, Co-founder and COO, Eko India Financial Services, said: "Eko is pleased to partner with Microsoft and ALTBalaji on this breakthrough project. It is always our endeavour to enhance brand, customer relationship via access to our platform and our vast network of merchants. This new technology by Microsoft, offered via ALTBalaji, enabled at our merchant outlets, would provide customers quick and direct access to content without consuming data. We believe this win-win partnership will be a welcome service to our business partners and customers. At Eko, we are committed to taking digital products to the masses and help everyone benefit from the digital economy.”
With 45 Originals as part of its vast and diverse, multi-genre content library, ALTBalaji continues to entertain audiences like never before. Shows like ‘Apharan,’ ‘Home’ ‘The Test Case’ ‘Kehne Ko Humsafar Hain,’ ‘PuncchBeat’ and the latest being ‘Coldd Lassi Aur Chicken Masala’ have received adulation and accolades aplenty from across the length and breadth of the country.
iWorld
Meta plans 8,000 layoffs in new AI-led restructuring wave
First phase from May 20 may cut 10 per cent workforce amid AI pivot.
MUMBAI: At Meta, the future may be artificial but the cuts are very real. The social media giant is reportedly preparing a fresh round of layoffs, with an initial wave expected to impact around 8,000 employees as it doubles down on its artificial intelligence ambitions. According to a Reuters report, the first phase of job cuts is slated to begin on May 20, targeting roughly 10 per cent of Meta’s global workforce. With nearly 79,000 employees on its rolls as of December 31, the move marks one of the company’s most significant workforce reductions in recent years.
And this may only be the beginning. Sources indicate that additional layoffs are being planned for the second half of the year, although the scale and timing remain fluid, likely to be shaped by how Meta’s AI capabilities evolve in the coming months. Earlier reports had suggested that total cuts in 2026 could reach 20 per cent or more of its workforce.
The restructuring comes as chief executive Mark Zuckerberg continues to steer the company towards an AI-first operating model, committing hundreds of billions of dollars to the transition. Internally, this shift is already visible: teams within Reality Labs have been reorganised, engineers have been moved into a newly formed Applied AI unit, and a Meta Small Business division has been created to align with broader structural changes.
The trend is hardly isolated. Across the tech sector, companies are trimming headcount while investing aggressively in automation. Amazon, for instance, has reportedly cut around 30,000 corporate roles nearly 10 per cent of its white-collar workforce citing efficiency gains driven by AI. Data from Layoffs.fyi shows over 73,000 tech employees have already lost jobs this year, compared with 153,000 in all of 2024.
For Meta, the move echoes its earlier “year of efficiency” in 2022–23, when about 21,000 roles were eliminated amid slowing growth and market pressures. This time, however, the backdrop is different. The company is financially stronger, generating over $200 billion in revenue and $60 billion in profit last year, with shares up 3.68 per cent year-to-date though still below last summer’s peak.
That contrast underlines the shift underway. These layoffs are less about survival and more about reinvention. As Meta restructures itself around AI from autonomous coding agents to advanced machine learning systems, the question is no longer whether the company will change, but how many roles will be left unchanged when it does.
