How is AI transforming dealmaking processes? And how can dealmakers use it safely and to gain a competitive edge? At our recent Dealmakers Dialogues event in Warsaw, Markus Schiller, Head of Continental Europe, Datasite and Jacek Poświata, Senior Partner and Chairman CEE, Bain & Company, to discuss the trends, challenges, and benefits of AI and how it is reshaping the industry.

Automation, Analysis, and Allocation

Artificial intelligence is reshaping private equity and M&A, not just in how deals are sourced but in how value is created and exits are planned. For portfolio companies and investors alike, AI offers three core benefits:

1. Smarter Screening & Scenario Planning
   AI makes it possible to scan vast markets quickly, identify potential targets, and model different macro scenarios. This helps funds understand where opportunities are emerging and how portfolio companies align with future market trends.
2. Portfolio Monitoring & Capital Allocation
   AI tools provide real-time performance tracking across portfolio companies. Investors can spot underperformers early, reallocate capital more effectively, and benchmark companies against industry peers, all of which help maximize value.
3. Efficiency & Speed in Transactions
   From sourcing to due diligence, AI accelerates the deal cycle. It automates data analysis in virtual data rooms, highlights risks, and even drafts integration or value creation plans. This speed is increasingly becoming a competitive differentiator: firms using AI can make better decisions, faster.

Early vs Advanced Adoption

According to Bain & Company’s Global M&A Report 2025, 36% of the most active acquirers already use AI in M&A. Private equity is setting the pace, with over 60% of firms using tools for sourcing, screening, or due diligence. Most firms today use AI for sourcing and due diligence, but the next frontier is deeper integration:

• Integration planning: AI-driven transition and synergy modeling
• Value Creation Plans (VCPs): AI analyzing company data to propose cost and revenue synergies
• Dynamic monitoring: Tracking deviations from strategic plans and suggesting course corrections in real time

Large global players are already building in-house AI capabilities, while smaller funds, particularly in regions like Eastern Europe, are still catching up. This gap is creating a clear competitive edge for early adopters.

Augmentation, Not Replacement

AI won’t replace dealmakers; rather, it will augment them. Just as doctors still interpret diagnoses made faster with AI, deal professionals will rely on human judgment for strategic decisions while offloading repetitive tasks to machines. The biggest winners will be firms that embrace AI not as a one-off tool but as part of a broader transformation of their investment process.

Learn how Datasite and AI can help you with your next M&A deal.