IBM to acquire Confluent for $11 billion to build smart data platform for enterprise generative AI

IBM announced a definitive agreement to acquire data streaming company Confluent for $31 per share in cash, valuing the deal at $11 billion. The acquisition is aimed at creating an end-to-end "smart data platform" that connects and governs real‑time data for applications, analytics, and AI agents across hybrid cloud environments, strengthening IBM's position in enterprise generative and agentic AI.