IBM is acquiring data streaming specialist Confluent for $11 billion. Confluent offers an open-source platform that helps organizations connect, process, and manage data and events in real time, playing a key role in the development and deployment of AI.
IDC estimates that more than one billion new logical applications will emerge by 2028, reshaping technology architectures across industries. To fuel meaningful outcomes and drive productivity in operations, these applications, as well as AI agents, need access to connected and trusted data – in real time. IBM and Confluent will enable end-to-end integration of applications, analytics, data systems and AI agents to drive intelligence and resilience in hybrid cloud environments.
“IBM and Confluent together will enable enterprises to deploy generative and agentic AI better and faster by providing trusted communication and data flow between environments, applications and APIs. Data is spread across public and private clouds, datacenters and countless technology providers,” said Arvind Krishna, IBM chairman, president and chief executive officer. “With the acquisition of Confluent, IBM will provide the smart data platform for enterprise IT, purpose-built for AI.”
Confluent’s platform is based on Apache Kafka and offers flexible deployment options, including a fully managed cloud solution (Confluent Cloud), a self-managed platform (Confluent Platform), and hybrid models like WarpStream. The company has over 6,500 customers, including 40% of the Fortune 500, and collaborates with technology partners such as AWS, Microsoft, and Snowflake. The acquisition aligns with IBM’s hybrid cloud and AI strategy and strengthens its position in open-source innovation.
The transaction is subject to approval by both shareholders and regulators. The parties expect to complete the acquisition in mid-2026.
