iWorld
SPN to use Nice analytics for OTT, On-Demand videos
BARCELONA: Nice People at Work (NPAW), the leader in business intelligence and analytics technology for the online video industry, announced that Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) has chosen YOUBORA to optimize quality of experience to boost audience engagement.
By utilizing NPAW’s YOUBORA solution, SPN will be able to deliver quality television content via the internet.
Launched in 1995, SPN is one of India’s largest Hindi language content providers in the Indiansub-continent, airing local hits such as Kaun Banega Crorepati, CID, Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah among others. SPN has integrated with YOUBORA analytics to accommodate the growing demand for OTT and On Demand videos, to present quality content equal to conventional television to its online viewers.
YOUBORA, NPAW’s award winning analytics and business intelligence platform, leads the industry in providing content providers with detailed read-outs of the video delivery ecosystem. With this tool, content providers can respond appropriately to delivery issues, thereby boosting audience engagement, satisfaction and consequently loyalty by minimizing experience problems such as buffering or lag time. Such disruptions are managed easily with YOUBORA’s real time data collection capabilities, the most granular in the industry including the platform’s SmartModules.
“Too often, South Asia is overshadowed by the Far East, Western Europe and America where business opportunity is concerned. We feel privileged to assist Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) in delivering superior video experiences to their audience.” said NPAW’s CEO, Ferran Gutiérrez, of the agreement.
“Our audience deserves the best experience possible when they turn to their computer or any device to watch their favorite programming”, said Ajay Kumar Meher, Sr. VP – IT & Post Production of Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN). “The real-time quality and audience engagement metrics provided by YOUBORA leads the industry in this regard, and we are excited SPN will have access to this resource.”
NPAW is a Business Intelligence and Big Data company serving the online video industry. Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN), (formerly Multi Screen Media Private Ltd.), is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation which owns and operates the Sony Entertainment network of television channels.
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.
