IBM Nears $11 Billion Acquisition of Confluent Amid AI Growth

IBM is in advanced talks to acquire data streaming software maker Confluent for approximately eleven billion dollars. This potential acquisition is notable as it is above Confluent's market value of around eight billion dollars as of the close on December fifth.

The deal could be finalized as soon as Monday, according to sources cited by Lauren Thomas of the Wall Street Journal. This acquisition aligns with IBM's strategy to bolster its capabilities in the data streaming sector, which is increasingly critical amid the growing emphasis on artificial intelligence technologies.