iWorld
Industry leaders discuss security challenges faced by OTT platforms
KOLKATA: Of all the challenges, piracy is one major issue that has been bothering the over-the-top ecosystem for a long time. Video piracy tends to eat a major chunk of streaming services’ revenue, advanced security integrations can help the platforms to curb the piracy threat.
Indiantelevision.com in its next webinar in partnership with Synamedia will host a discussion on security challenges faced by OTT platforms and content owners and how leveraging solutions can reduce piracy and increase platforms’ revenues. The webinar is set to take place on 1 October at 4.00 pm.
Some of the esteemed speakers include Synamedia intelligence and security operations vice president Avigail Gutman; ZEE5 India technology head Tushar Vohra; SonyLIV technology head Manish Verma.
The panelists will discuss different types of streaming piracy, how to employ a layered security approach using a strong conditional access and OTT security baseline along with other issues.
Don’t forget to tune in to know more! Register here
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.
