Report: AI key driving force for TMT deal activity in 2025
March 12, 2026
Artificial intelligence (AI) has become the central force reshaping mergers and acquisitions in the technology, media, and telecom (TMT) sector. Global deal value surged 76 per cent in 2025 to $903 billion (€781.5bn), with AI-related transactions alone reaching $117 billion. What was once a speculative technology is now driving investment decisions, partnerships, and acquisitions in the TMT sector as companies race to secure AI capabilities, according to GlobalData, the intelligence and productivity platform.
GlobalData’s report, Global TMT M&A Deals 2025 – Top Themes and Predictions: Strategic Intelligence, highlights that AI was the second-largest theme among the top 100 deals, reflecting 125 per cent growth from the previous year. The total global TMT M&A deal value grew by 76 per cent from $514 billion in 2024 to $903 billion in 2025. Similar trend was observed in deal volume, which totaled 573 deals in 2025, up 12 per cent from 2024.
Priya Toppo, Strategic Intelligence Analyst at GlobalData, commented: “Strategic investments and partnerships are increasingly focused on AI-enabled platforms, cutting-edge AI-centric data centers, innovative generative AI solutions, and leading AI chip companies. This shift underscores a powerful commitment to harness the transformative potential of AI across industries.”
The biggest AI deal was x.ai’s acquisition of X (Twitter) for $45 billion. It was followed by Microsoft and Nvidia’s acquisition of a minority stake in Anthropic for $15 billion and Meta Platforms’ acquisition of 49% stake in Scale AI for $14 billion.
Toppo added: “A significant amount of TMT M&A deal activity was driven by the application software sector, accounting for $169 billion across 176 deals. This was followed by the music, film & TV, telecom services, semiconductors, and enterprise security software sectors.”
By studying the themes that are currently driving the M&A market, the report also identifies potential future acquisition targets along with their thematic rationale.
Toppo concluded: “The TMT sector experienced an increase in M&A activity in 2025; however, deal activity in 2026 is anticipated to remain sluggish. While macroeconomic conditions and regulatory factors may impact the pace of transactions, there is a continuing structural shift toward AI-centric transformation, which is evolving in both scale and strategic intent within the TMT landscape.”
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