Why buy AI? Three reasons to acquire an AI business in 2025

The AI boom is here, and companies are scrambling to get their piece of the pie. 

When consumer-facing artificial intelligence products like ChatGPT hit the market in the early 2020s, business leaders quickly welcomed a new era of innovation centered on these impressive tech products.  

Ever since then, non-AI centric tech companies have been interested in pivoting their business—or at least adding a vertical—to focus more deeply on AI-powered products, with the hope of cashing in on their ongoing integration into people’s lives and businesses.  

To meet this growing demand, a new corporate development spike has emerged. Growth-phase companies now seek leaders who can source, land and integrate tech deals with AI producers.  

In this article, we explain why AI deals are gaining traction and how to identify the people who can make them happen. 

Why tech companies are folding in AI 

The AI sector is highly fragmented, with new tools, products and services emerging at a rapid pace. This constant innovation creates a fertile environment for mergers and acquisitions as companies race to keep up. 

Most tech firms don’t want to risk falling behind, so they’re moving quickly to secure a foothold in AI. Acquisitions give them immediate access to market share, intellectual property and backend systems, all of which can justify the investment even if the product itself evolves or changes direction.

And if all these factors don’t justify the acquisition, the talent you gain will.  

The best engineers work in AI 

The best engineers work in AI right now because intellectual challenge, impact and prestige converge more strongly here than in almost any other field.  

AI is seen as one of the most transformative technologies of our time, on par with electricity or the internet. Engineers want their work to matter, and building AI systems means influencing how industries like healthcare, finance, manufacturing and education evolve. Plus, the pay has been outpacing their competitors.  

The AI sector is flush with venture capital and corporate investment. Companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, Google DeepMind, Meta and startups across the globe are competing fiercely, which drives up salaries and equity packages. 

If you acquire an AI company and successfully retain its best-performing team members, you’re acquiring some of the smartest minds in tech. 

Tips for finding an AI-focused corporate development leader 

The first step in making any great corporate development hire is to study the four main profiles in this field and determine which is best for your hiring needs: manager, rising star, proven commodity or transformative CDO. 

Market mapping is also a consistently useful tool for identifying niche corporate development talent. By systematically charting the AI industry, you gain visibility into both obvious candidates and those who may be less visible but highly relevant due to industry expertise or other skills. 

From there, success depends on extensive outreach and crafting a compelling offer that will get an A-player’s attention. The best corporate development professionals tend to be gainfully employed and must be “pried loose” from their current organization.

If you’re going after the best and brightest, find out what motivates them and craft your pitch based on what they care about most.  

The takeaway 

Whether it’s gaining access to cutting-edge technology, tapping into world-class engineering talent or ensuring your company doesn’t fall behind in a rapidly shifting landscape, the case for AI-focused dealmaking is strong.  

For organizations ready to compete at the highest level, adding AI to your portfolio is a critical step in staying resilient and agile in a changing tech market. 

To learn more, contact Diane DeRosa-Fedor at (336) 217-9198 or diane.fedor@charlesaris.com.