After a slow couple of years, dealmaking is picking up steam again, and artificial intelligence is leading the charge. One notable example is CoreWeave’s (CRWV) $9 billion acquisition of data center provider Core Scientific (CORZ), which is the second major AI-related M&A move of 2025. While investors weren’t thrilled (shares of both companies dropped after the news), the deal highlights the growing appetite for AI-driven growth. Overall, U.S. M&A activity reached $750 billion in the first half of 2025, slightly up from $720 billion during the same period in 2024, according to the Wall Street Journal. Of that total, about $65 billion came from AI-related deals.
Don’t Miss TipRanks’ Half-Year Sale
- Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence.
- Make smarter investment decisions with TipRanks' Smart Investor Picks, delivered to your inbox every week.
Indeed, companies are seeing AI as a rare opportunity to establish themselves as key players in a fast-growing field, which is helping fuel these acquisitions. According to M&A lawyer Matthew Warner, who spoke to Yahoo Finance, this moment is unique because the industry is still taking shape, which gives firms a chance to set the standard before the window closes. As a result, big names are diving in:
- Salesforce (CRM) acquired Informatica (INFA) for $8 billion.
- HPE (HPE) closed a $14 billion deal for Juniper Networks.
- Alphabet (GOOGL) announced a massive $32 billion purchase of cloud security firm Wiz.
Even outside of tech, companies like Constellation Energy (CEG) are joining the AI rush. In fact, Constellation acquired Calpine for $16.4 billion in order to meet the rising power demands of AI infrastructure.
Tech Giants are Pouring Massive Amounts of Capital into AI
In addition to acquisitions, tech giants are pouring massive amounts of capital into AI. Meta (META), Microsoft (MSFT), Amazon (AMZN), and Alphabet together are expected to spend $325 billion this year on AI-related projects. Meta also acquired a 49% stake in Scale AI, valued at $14.3 billion, and continues to pursue its “superintelligence” vision. Moreover, Oracle (ORCL) revealed a $30 billion cloud deal with a mystery client, while CoreWeave also acquired Weights & Biases for $1.7 billion.
Which AI Stock Is the Better Buy?
Turning to Wall Street, out of the stocks mentioned above that are not being acquired, analysts think that CRM stock has the most room to run. In fact, CRM’s average price target of $347.31 per share implies more than 28% upside potential. On the other hand, analysts expect the least from CRWV stock, as its average price target of $78.53 equates to a loss of almost 50%.
