iWorld
ShemarooMe collaborates with Sony India
KOLKATA: ShemarooMe has today announced its association with Sony India to expand the Smart TVs content library, further enhancing the accessibility and convenience for consumers. With this association, the ShemarooMe app will now be available for streaming exclusively on select BRAVIA Smart TVs. The all-in-one platform offers a wide range of multi-genre, multi-regional content, including Bollywood Premieres, Bollywood Classics, Shemaroo Kids, and the best of Devotional, Comedy and Regional content.
Online content consumption has increased rapidly as consumers are confined to their homes due to the lockdown and are accessing streaming services from multiple screens such as tablets, laptops, mobile phones and smart TVs. During these unprecedented times, this partnership further deepens ShemarooMe’s reach by providing seamless access to BRAVIA’s vast number of consumers in the country as well as enables the latter to expand its Hindi and regional entertainment portfolio with the OTT platform’s exciting slate of popular shows and movies.
Talking about this announcement, Shemaroo Entertainment digital COO Zubin Dubash said, “We are extremely delighted to have partnered with Sony India to help expand their entertainment portfolio with ShemarooMe’s diverse content catalogue. Over the years, Sony’s BRAVIA television has truly revolutionized the way Indians watch content. With this strategic association, we aim to expand our OTT distribution and transform the TV viewing experience for consumers, giving them access to our rich legacy with the added convenience of streaming blockbuster Bollywood as well as regional movies and live events, seamlessly on their television sets.”
Sony India BRAVIA Business head Ranvijay Singh added "We are glad to partner with Shemaroo Entertainment and help amplify their diverse content portfolio across India. BRAVIA Televisions have a legacy of offering the most immersive viewing experience and with a rapid increase in the online content consumption, we are positive that this partnership will offer wholesome entertainment to our consumers.”
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.
