IBM has announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Confluent, marking a significant step in advancing its hybrid cloud and artificial intelligence strategy. The acquisition is aimed at building what IBM describes as an “intelligent, always-on core” that enables trusted data and insights to move in real time across environments, applications, and APIs.
In an internal communication to employees, Arvind Krishna, Chairman and CEO, IBM said the move directly addresses a fundamental shift underway in enterprise operations. “Companies want to run operations in real time. Transactions happen in milliseconds. Supply chains adjust instantly. Fraud is detected as it occurs,” Krishna wrote, highlighting how real-time data has become critical to modern digital businesses.
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He highlighted the growing importance of real-time data in the AI era, noting that artificial intelligence systems are only as effective as the signals they receive. “AI, in particular, magnifies the value of real-time data. Models are only as strong as the signals feeding them,” Krishna said. As enterprises increasingly deploy AI agents, digital workers, and autonomous workflows, their dependence on live data, rather than static datasets, is accelerating.
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According to IBM, the scale and velocity of enterprise data are increasing dramatically. The number of applications, the volume of data moving through organizations, and the role of AI in daily operations are all expanding at an unprecedented pace. “AI agents and autonomous systems now require fast, continuous access to data to function,” Krishna stated, calling this shift “one of the largest new infrastructure opportunities of the AI era.”
Confluent, known for its data streaming platform built around Apache Kafka, enables data to move from where it is created to where it is needed in real time. IBM believes the acquisition will significantly enhance its data and AI offerings. “Confluent’s platform moves data from where it is created to where it is needed, in real time. It extends our existing capabilities and completes the foundation for an end-to-end Smart Data Platform,” Krishna said.
By bringing Confluent into its portfolio, IBM aims to provide clients with the ability to move, manage, and act on data seamlessly across both batch and real-time systems. This unified approach is expected to help enterprises turn insights into action more quickly across complex hybrid environments.
The acquisition also aligns with IBM’s long-standing emphasis on open-source technologies. Krishna pointed out that Confluent builds naturally on IBM’s history of scaling open-source innovation for enterprise use. “It builds on our longstanding commitment to bringing the most powerful open-source technologies into enterprise use, from Red Hat to HashiCorp and now Confluent,” he wrote.
From a strategic standpoint, the deal follows IBM’s disciplined growth playbook, which combines organic innovation with targeted mergers and acquisitions. “We use both organic growth and targeted M&A to strengthen the platforms our clients rely on most, which are hybrid cloud, automation, integration, security, and AI,” Krishna noted. He described Confluent as “category-defining technology” that can be deeply integrated and scaled globally within IBM.
Krishna expressed confidence in the long-term value of the acquisition for both organizations. “I am confident this is the right move for the future of both companies, and I look forward to welcoming Confluent’s employees to IBM once the deal is finalized,” he said. Once completed, the acquisition is expected to strengthen IBM’s position as a key enabler of real-time, AI-driven enterprise operations, at a time when immediacy, intelligence, and trusted data flows are becoming central to business competitiveness.
