GenAI has moved from buzz to real utility — and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) is on the edge of its next big shift. In the Season 2 finale of The Dealist podcast, host Catherine Ford talks with Austin Corbett of Accenture and Jon Martin of SS&C Intralinks about the early signals of what’s coming, from the rise of agentic AI and smarter diligence workflows to the long-term potential for a digital twin that mirrors the entire deal process in near-real time.

Listen to learn:

How next-gen technology is reshaping every stage of dealmaking
What Accenture’s latest research reveals about AI’s role in the future of M&A
How serial acquirers are investing in AI to accelerate value capture
The ways AI will assist valuations, reduce wasted deal effort and support stronger decision-making
How agentic AI could operate as an autonomous partner in the deal process
Why a digital twin for M&A may be closer than many expect

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Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dealist/id1805660414
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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/intralinks

Timestamps

0:45 Introductions 2:15 Early-stage AI trends 5:30 AI’s competitive edge 7:04 Next-gen tech is reshaping every stage of dealmaking 7:25 Accenture research: AI will revolutionize how deals are done 9:56 Serial acquirers are investing in AI 12:27 AI’s impact now and in the future of M&A 14:00 How AI will help valuations 16:45 Upskilling deal teams to future-proof 19:43 DealCentre AI showcase 20:23 Agentic AI — an autonomous deal team member 23:38 AI will reduce effort on deals that won’t ever close 26:30 The most strategic teams will use AI to win 26:52 We’ve just scratched the surface of what AI can do in M&A 28:28: A digital twin for M&A