iWorld
OpenTV, Playboy sign deal to develop iTV applications worldwide
MUMBAI: interactive television company Open TV and adult content provider Playboy Enterprises, have signed a multi-year agreement.
The two parties will jointly develop, integrate and launch digital interactive software applications for deployment on Playboy’s worldwide suite of television programming networks. As part the agreement, the companies expect to develop interactive applications capable of running on all software platforms, and will not be limited to any specific set-top box middleware or any proprietary iTV solution.
Under the agreement, OpenTV will also support Playboy in marketing a wide variety of interactive applications and games to network operators worldwide, and general consulting and advisory services.
OpenTV’s senior VP and GM marketing and applications products Tim Evard says, “We are delighted to partner with such a powerful global brand like Playboy to develop innovative interactive television applications. This commitment reinforces the compelling value proposition that we offer in the applications space, and we look forward to building unique, reliable and stable technologies and applications that increase viewership and revenue for both Playboy and their network operator distributors around the world.”
Playboy has stated that it is committed to helping its distribution partners drive maximum value from the programming it offers. Playboy believes that iTV applications will be a powerful tool for its partners and will also provide a more compelling viewingand transactional experience for the consumer.
OpenTV claims to be deployed in approximately 47 million digital set-top-boxes in 96 countries. The company’s software enables a wide array of functionality, including enhanced television, a full-featured IPTV solution interactive shopping, interactive and addressable advertising, games and gaming, personal video recording, and a variety of consumer care and communication applications.
iWorld
Schmooze launches AI matchmaker Riya to personalise dating
300,000 users try feature as retention doubles on Gen Z dating app.
MUMBAI: Love might be blind, but now it’s also algorithmically curated and apparently quite chatty. Schmooze has introduced an AI-powered personal matchmaker named Riya, marking its latest push to move beyond swipe-led dating into deeper, personality-driven matchmaking. Unlike traditional matching systems, Riya interacts directly with users through conversations asking about everything from lifestyle and humour to relationship goals and family values. The idea is simple but ambitious: understand users beyond surface-level preferences and recommend matches that actually fit.
The feature builds on a pattern Schmooze had already observed. Its earlier AI tool, People Finder, allowed users to describe their ideal partner in detail and users did exactly that. Requests ranged from “an extrovert who works in tech and likes to cook” to hyper-specific traits, signalling a clear shift towards intent-driven dating.
That insight exposed a gap. While dating apps typically rely on probability-based algorithms, many users already know what they want they just lack a system that can interpret it meaningfully.
Riya attempts to fill that gap using a conversational approach. Instead of rigid inputs, it gathers signals organically sometimes through casual questions about weekend plans or social habits while mapping deeper compatibility markers in the background.
To support this, Schmooze has built its own end-to-end voice AI stack and large language model, rather than relying on third-party systems. The move is aimed at keeping costs in check while handling scale, and ensuring tighter control over user data and privacy.
The early numbers suggest traction. More than 300,000 users have already interacted with Riya, with those users showing 2× higher retention compared to others on the platform. While the system is designed for short interactions, some users are spending up to 40–50 minutes in conversation occasionally even asking for date ideas, prompting the company to add personalised recommendations.
The launch is the latest step in Schmooze’s broader attempt to rethink dating for Gen Z. Founded by Vidya Madhavan and Abhinav Anurag, the platform initially stood out by using memes as a proxy for personality tracking over 3.5 billion meme swipes across its base of more than 5 million users.
In a market dominated by global players like Tinder, Bumble and Hinge, Schmooze’s approach signals a shift from visual-first discovery to interaction-led compatibility. And with AI now stepping in as a digital wingman, the dating game may be moving from swipe right to speak right.
