2025 M&A Generative AI Study

deloitte.com

Top line

A Deloitte study shows 86% of M&A organizations are rapidly adopting Generative AI, primarily in early deal stages, despite significant concerns around data security and ethics.

Summary

Deloitte's 2025 M&A Generative AI Study reveals rapid GenAI adoption within mergers and acquisitions, with 86% of surveyed organizations integrating it into their workflows, and 65% doing so in the past year. These adopters, many of whom have invested over $1 million, are primarily leveraging GenAI in early M&A stages like strategy, market assessment, and due diligence, anticipating significant future impacts. However, widespread adoption is tempered by concerns over data security, quality, model reliability, ethics, and compliance, which remain critical barriers. Organizations are increasingly partnering externally for deployment and are advised by Deloitte to focus on strategic sensing, adapting M&A strategies, investing in expertise, and piloting targeted use cases to effectively harness GenAI's potential while managing risks.

Highlights

Deloitte's 2025 M&A Generative AI Study surveyed 1,000 senior corporate and private equity (PE) leaders in the first half of 2025.
86% of organizations surveyed have integrated Generative AI (GenAI) into their M&A workflows, with 65% adopting it within the past year.
Approximately 40% of adopting organizations use GenAI in more than half of their deals, indicating significant integration.
A substantial majority of adopters (83%) have invested $1 million or more in GenAI specifically for their M&A teams, including 88% of PE firms and 77% of corporate organizations.
Most adopters anticipate increasing their GenAI investments in the next 12 months, with a significant portion planning to increase them substantially.
GenAI sees the most traction in pre-sign M&A stages: M&A strategy and market assessment (40%) and target screening and due diligence (35%).
Later M&A stages, including valuation, deal execution, and post-deal integration, have slightly lower GenAI adoption rates (32% each).
Key barriers to broader GenAI adoption are data security (67%), data quality (65%), model reliability (64%), ethical considerations (62%), and uncertainty about regulations and compliance (61%).
Organizations are adopting GenAI by developing organization-wide platforms (31-33%) or partnering with technology providers (24-26%) for customized M&A use cases.
Private equity firms show a slightly higher tendency (14%) than corporate entities (11%) to license ready-made solutions from vendors.
Over 80% of adopters expect GenAI to have a moderate (48%) or significant (35%) impact on M&A decision-making.
In the next 24 months, organizations anticipate the greatest GenAI benefits in strategy/market assessment (37%), overall M&A capabilities, post-deal integration/value realization, due diligence, and target identification/screening.
Deloitte recommends organizations strengthen sensing capabilities, recast M&A strategy considering AI, invest in expertise, and pilot high-priority GenAI use cases.
The study highlights a careful approach, balancing innovation with robust governance, risk management, and piloting before broader scaling.

2025 M&A Generative AI Study

deloitte.com

Top line

A Deloitte study shows 86% of M&A organizations are rapidly adopting Generative AI, primarily in early deal stages, despite significant concerns around data security and ethics.

Summary

Highlights

Deloitte's 2025 M&A Generative AI Study surveyed 1,000 senior corporate and private equity (PE) leaders in the first half of 2025.
86% of organizations surveyed have integrated Generative AI (GenAI) into their M&A workflows, with 65% adopting it within the past year.
Approximately 40% of adopting organizations use GenAI in more than half of their deals, indicating significant integration.
A substantial majority of adopters (83%) have invested $1 million or more in GenAI specifically for their M&A teams, including 88% of PE firms and 77% of corporate organizations.
Most adopters anticipate increasing their GenAI investments in the next 12 months, with a significant portion planning to increase them substantially.
GenAI sees the most traction in pre-sign M&A stages: M&A strategy and market assessment (40%) and target screening and due diligence (35%).
Later M&A stages, including valuation, deal execution, and post-deal integration, have slightly lower GenAI adoption rates (32% each).
Key barriers to broader GenAI adoption are data security (67%), data quality (65%), model reliability (64%), ethical considerations (62%), and uncertainty about regulations and compliance (61%).
Organizations are adopting GenAI by developing organization-wide platforms (31-33%) or partnering with technology providers (24-26%) for customized M&A use cases.
Private equity firms show a slightly higher tendency (14%) than corporate entities (11%) to license ready-made solutions from vendors.
Over 80% of adopters expect GenAI to have a moderate (48%) or significant (35%) impact on M&A decision-making.
In the next 24 months, organizations anticipate the greatest GenAI benefits in strategy/market assessment (37%), overall M&A capabilities, post-deal integration/value realization, due diligence, and target identification/screening.
Deloitte recommends organizations strengthen sensing capabilities, recast M&A strategy considering AI, invest in expertise, and pilot high-priority GenAI use cases.
The study highlights a careful approach, balancing innovation with robust governance, risk management, and piloting before broader scaling.