iWorld
Sprite and Culture Machine join hands to launch digital comedy Konkout
MUMBAI: Sprite and Culture Machine have partnered to launch ‘Sprite Comedy Konkout’- India’s first ever digital comedy konkout between prominent comedy troupes and stand-up comedians.
The digital challenge will kick off on the Comedy Konkout channel on YouTube on 29 June 2016 and will be hosted by the popular international comedy troupe – ‘The Tenderloins’ also popularly known as the Impractical jokers; who will challenge Indian comedians in one of its kind ‘#FakeOff’ in tune with Sprite’s on-going FakeOff campaign.
In line with Sprite’s on-going #FakeOff campaign that urges youth to stop pretence and be comfortable in their own skin, the konkout will feature multiple ‘fake offs’ between all participants.
Commenting on Comedy Konkout, Culture Machine Siddharth Narula said, “Sprite Comedy Konkout by Culture Machine is an industry first in the country and we are delighted to have associated with Sprite that continues to push the envelope in terms of their consumer engagements. We have brought together the very best from the comedy fraternity in India and hope that the audience loves watching the Konkout as much as we loved conceptualizing it.”
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.
