iWorld
Sony’s Indian Idol season 7 to be aired live on dittoTV
MUMBAI: dittoTV subscribers have one more reason to celebrate Christmas with some entertainment. Indian Idol, one of India’s singing reality shows, is back and fans of the show will be able to catch the latest season 7 live on Sony Entertainment Television available on dittoTV from 24 December every Saturday and Sunday at 8 pm.
This latest season will be judged by Indian Idol’s original panel of judges – Anu Malik, Sonu Nigam and Farah Khan, who will be making a comeback on the show after 12 years.
“Indian Idol is one of India’s oldest and most loved musical reality shows, with a huge fan following. As a weekend show, many people could be missing out on the live airing since they may be out or just don’t have easy access to a television set. dittoTV now makes it possible for them to conveniently watch Indian Idol as it airs, anywhere on any internet-enabled device. And at a very affordable price point,” said Z5 Business head of digital Archana Anand.
With its large bouquet of channels, dittoTV enables its on-the-go audiences to stay connected to their favourite shows across channels such as The Voice India, which launched its second season earlier this month on &TV, and now Indian Idol on Sony.
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.
