Global Mergers Surge to $2.6 Trillion Driven by US, Asia AI Deals

The global mergers and acquisitions (M&A) market is experiencing a robust recovery in 2025, driven primarily by large deals in the United States and the surge in artificial intelligence (AI) investments. Despite a 16% decline in transaction volume, the value of deals rose 28% year-over-year to $2.6 trillion, with major acquisitions including Union Pacific's $85 billion bid for Norfolk Southern and Softbank's $40 billion fundraising for OpenAI. This resurgence reflects growing corporate confidence and clearer antitrust signals from Washington, with sectors like IT, electronics, and cybersecurity leading the M&A activity. Meanwhile, AI is rapidly transforming the business landscape, prompting major companies like Microsoft and Meta Platforms to make significant workforce adjustments and aggressive investments, such as Meta's $14.3 billion acquisition of half of Scale AI and recruitment of top AI talent. Tech investor Vinod Khosla warns of unprecedented disruption ahead, predicting a faster rate of decline among Fortune 500 companies in the 2030s due to these transformative forces. Together, these trends underscore a period of intense corporate reorganization and technological advancement shaping the future of global business.