iWorld
Zoom partners Indo-US forum to provide video tech to Indian k-12 institutions
MUMBAI: Addressing the multiple challenges India is facing in transitioning school education to video conferencing in the wake of COVID-19 lockdown, the US-India strategic partnership forum (USISPF) is partnering with Zoom Video Communications. They will provide free access to video technologies for K-12 education institutions in India.
USISPF and Zoom will work with the government of India, state governments, and non-profit organisations in education to ensure that the maximum number of school-going children are able to access Zoom's technologies free-of-cost and continue their education virtually at an extremely challenging time.
USISPF president Mukesh Aghi said, "American companies are continuing to step up in all ways possible to help citizens of India during these extraordinary circumstances. The partnership is a win-win between the American industry's technological capabilities and the urgent need to solve the education challenges that India's students face during this health crisis.”
Zoom Video Communications CIO Sunil Madan said: "With millions of children in India out of school right now, the partnership with USISPF will help us accelerate vital support to students, families and schools during these extremely challenging circumstances."
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.
