Yazılar

Unglamorous World of Data Infrastructure Drives Surge in AI-Focused Tech M&A

/in /tarafından

Despite a slowdown in global dealmaking due to tariffs and geopolitical uncertainty, the data infrastructure sector is booming as legacy tech giants scramble to secure their positions in the AI race. Companies that handle the vast volumes of data required to train advanced AI models have become key acquisition targets for firms like Meta, Salesforce, and ServiceNow, eager to compete with leaders such as OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic.

“AI without data is like life without oxygen, it doesn’t exist,” said Brian Marshall, global co-head of software investment banking at Citi, highlighting how data management has taken center stage in the tech industry’s current moment.

Technology deals have been one of the few bright spots in a subdued M&A market, accounting for $421 billion out of the $1.67 trillion in global deals announced in the first five months of 2025—roughly 25% of total M&A volume. This marks a steady rise from 20% in 2024 and 17% in 2023. Notably, nearly 75% of the value of tech deals involves AI software makers.

Goldman Sachs Managing Director Matthew Lucas described enterprise data as the “most dynamic area in software M&A right now,” emphasizing that speed and being first to market are critical, driving companies to acquire rather than build their own capabilities.

Investment bankers identify companies like Confluent, Collibra, Sigma Computing, Matillion, Dataiku, Fivetran, Boomi, and Qlik as likely acquisition targets. These firms specialize in integrating, analyzing, and managing data on cloud platforms—capabilities essential for effective AI deployment.

Executives from Boomi, Dataiku, Fivetran, and Qlik expressed no surprise at the increased attention. Dataiku CEO Florian Douetteau noted that “messy, siloed data” has long limited analytics potential, but the urgency of AI has made resolving these issues existential for businesses.

Recent multibillion-dollar acquisitions illustrate this trend. Meta’s $14.8 billion deal for a 49% stake in data-labeling company Scale AI, Salesforce’s $8 billion plan to buy data integration firm Informatica, and ServiceNow’s acquisition of data catalog platform Data.world exemplify how legacy tech companies are investing heavily to own the data pipeline critical for AI.

Globally, generative AI spending is forecast to hit $644 billion in 2025, a 76.4% increase from 2024, underscoring the scale and pace of AI investment.

IBM also recently closed its acquisition of data management company DataStax, aiming to improve handling of unstructured data for its AI platform.

However, dealmakers caution that acquiring data infrastructure alone does not guarantee AI success. Proper organization and filtering of data are essential to avoid errors, as seen when Air Canada faced legal issues over bad AI chatbot advice due to poor data input.

“A lot of companies have a huge amount of data, but they’re learning that you can’t just funnel every piece of data you have into an AI engine without organization and expect correct results,” said Brian Mangino, partner at Latham & Watkins.

The rapid pace of acquisitions and the high stakes in AI competition highlight how data infrastructure—though less glamorous than AI algorithms themselves—is becoming the backbone of future tech innovation.

Salesforce Restricts AI Competitors’ Access to Slack Data, The Information Reports

/in /tarafından

Salesforce has tightened control over Slack data access by blocking rival AI software firms from searching or storing Slack messages, according to a report by The Information on Tuesday. This change follows updates Salesforce made to its terms of service, detailed in a public statement issued on May 29.

A Salesforce spokesperson emphasized the company’s commitment to responsible AI and data management, noting the firm’s efforts to implement thoughtful and transparent safeguards around how data accessed through Slack’s APIs can be stored, used, and shared.

The updated policy restricts third-party apps like Glean from long-term indexing, copying, or storing Slack data obtained via the Slack API. Glean notified its customers that this will limit their ability to integrate Slack data into their AI-powered search and knowledge platforms, potentially reducing users’ flexibility in leveraging their enterprise data.

The move reflects growing scrutiny around how AI companies handle personal and customer data used to train AI models, as businesses aim to balance innovation with privacy and security concerns.

Salesforce, Glean, and other affected parties did not immediately respond to requests for further comment.

Capita to Launch AI-Powered Recruitment Service This Summer

/in /tarafından

British outsourcing firm Capita announced plans to roll out an AI-driven recruitment solution this summer, aiming to reduce hiring times from weeks to just hours. Developed in collaboration with Salesforce’s Agentforce AI, the technology automates over 200 tasks in the recruitment process, including candidate shortlisting.

Capita CEO Adolfo Hernandez explained the company hires around 10,000 people annually across various contracts and operations, often dealing with a transient workforce. The AI tool, built within the first quarter of 2025, efficiently matches qualified candidates to job specifications, allowing recruiters to focus more on final interviews and onboarding.

Salesforce highlighted Capita as the first B2B company in the UK to deploy its Agentforce AI solution, which significantly accelerates high-volume recruitment. Capita plans to fine-tune the system before a wider market launch expected this summer.