IBM completes $11 billion Confluent acquisition to power AI with real-time data streaming

IBM-Confluent Acquisition: Making Real Time Data the Engine of Enterprise AI and Agents

The smart data platform will give every AI model, agent, and automated workflow the real-time, trusted data needed to operate across on-premises and hybrid cloud environments at scale IBM announced the completion of its acquisition of Confluent, a data streaming platform used by over 6,500 enterprises, including 40% of the Fortune 500 companies, to power real-time operations. Under the terms of the agreement, IBM has acquired all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Confluent for $31 per share in cash, representing an enterprise value of approximately $11 billion. Together, IBM and Confluent deliver a smart data platform that gives every AI model, agent, and automated workflow the real-time, trusted data needed to operate across on-premises and hybrid cloud environments at scale, the company said in a press release. As enterprises move from AI experimentation to production, the critical barrier to success is the data -- clean, governed, continuously refreshed -- and delivered at the speed and scale AI demands. Yet in most enterprises today, data remains siloed across systems and environments, arriving hours or days after it is generated. Together IBM and Confluent provide a fabric through which AI agents can access the information they need, with controls, governance, and real-time velocity to put information to work safely and at scale. IDC estimates that more than one billion new logical applications will emerge by 2028, driven by a new generation of AI that will only deliver value if the data behind it is live, trusted, and continuously flowing. That scale of demand requires a new kind of data foundation, and IBM and Confluent address that challenge directly, giving enterprises a single, governed platform where AI models and agents can operate with context, in real time, across every environment. "Transactions happen in milliseconds, and AI decisions need to happen just as fast. With Confluent, we are giving clients the ability to move trusted data continuously across their entire operation so their AI models and agents can act on what is happening right now, not on data that is hours old" said Rob Thomas, Senior Vice President, IBM Software and Chief Commercial Officer. "Together, IBM and Confluent give enterprises the foundation for a new operating model - one where AI runs on live data, drives decisions in real time, and delivers value at scale," Thomas says. Built on Apache Kafka, the standard for data streaming, Confluent is already embedded in the operational fabric of the world's largest enterprises, with a customer base that spans industries from financial services and healthcare to manufacturing and retail. While Michelin uses Confluent to manage real-time inventory across 170 countries to save 35% costs, L'Oréal streams real-time product and inventory updates across internal and third-party systems. "Since our founding, Confluent's mission has been to set the world's data in motion, making data streaming as foundational to the enterprise as the database. Joining IBM allows us to accelerate that mission at a much greater scale," said Jay Kreps, CEO and Co-founder of Confluent. "IBM's global reach and deep enterprise relationships will help us go further, faster. As enterprises move from experimenting with AI to running their business on it, helping data flow continuously across the business has never mattered more. I'm excited to see what we'll build together." With Confluent, IBM Consulting and partners will help clients build the data foundation their AI needs -- live, governed, and continuously flowing across every system and environment.

IBM Completes $11 Billion Confluent Acquisition to Strengthen AI Capabilities

The technology giant IBM has acquired Confluent for $11 billion. The company purchased Confluent shares for $31 per share in cash, strengthening its position in the global IT services industry. IBM currently has a market value of approximately $233.9 billion. Despite the major acquisition, the company's stock may still be trading below its estimated fair value. Confluent is a data streaming platform built on . The platform helps businesses with real-time data transfer and processing across different systems. This technology is important for modern workflows such as artificial intelligence and real-time analytics. The platform allows businesses to share and analyze data instantly. More than 6,500 companies are using Confluent's technology, which includes nearly 40% of Fortune 500 companies.