Corporate M&A teams increasingly recognize that transaction outcomes depend on more than financial and strategic considerations.
Human capital is becoming a more prominent factor in deal selection, diligence, integration planning, and long-term value creation. Yet the research reveals that while organizations increasingly acknowledge its importance, many have not fully embedded human capital into the earliest stages of transaction planning.
Produced in association with Mercer, this study benchmarks how active corporate acquirers are incorporating human capital across the M&A lifecycle and highlights where practices continue to evolve.
Independent research grounded in the practices of active corporate acquirers
Artificial intelligence is becoming an increasingly important component of the M&A process.
The research suggests corporate acquirers are pursuing AI not simply to improve efficiency, but to expand analytical capacity, strengthen diligence coverage, and enable teams to focus on higher-value activities. The highest-priority objectives include:
The findings suggest organizations view AI as a way to strengthen the diligence process while improving how transaction teams allocate their time and expertise.
AI adoption is concentrated in practical applications that can support transaction teams immediately. The most common uses include:
Document review and market research have emerged as the most established applications, while more advanced use cases continue to move from pilot programs into broader deployment.
The research indicates that AI is no longer limited to isolated experiments or single-purpose applications.
Roughly two thirds of respondents report using AI across multiple diligence activities, with a meaningful group applying AI across ten or more use cases.
This suggests adoption is broadening beyond basic productivity applications and becoming increasingly integrated into transaction execution.
The report also examines:
This study reflects direct input from corporate acquirers active in the US market.
The full report includes detailed findings, supporting data, and practitioner perspectives across each area.
Includes executive summary, detailed analysis, and key findings
Intralinks, an SS&C company, is the AI-enabled dealmaking platform for high-stakes transactions. Trusted by global investment banks, private equity firms, law firms and corporations, Intralinks helps deal teams manage diligence, collaboration, and execution across mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, restructurings and other strategic transactions. Through innovations such as DealCentre AI, Intralinks is extending its secure dealmaking foundation with AI-powered capabilities and ecosystem integrations that help customers work faster while maintaining control, governance, and trust.