The AI Due Diligence Playbook: What Traditional M&A Misses in AI Acquisitions

When AI companies lost $190 billion in market cap following disappointing quarterly results, it exposed a fundamental flaw: traditional M&A due diligence is failing in the AI era. While Salesforce's strategic acquisition of Convergence.ai created a world-class AI lab with 100% talent retention, McDonald's partnership with IBM became a viral disaster that ended in termination. With AI companies commanding 25.8x revenue multiples and 71% of CEOs struggling with valuation mismatches, the stakes have never been higher. This comprehensive playbook reveals the critical gaps in traditional due diligence—from data quality blind spots to talent retention failures—and provides a proven framework for evaluating AI acquisitions. Learn why health tech AI companies command 28.5x multiples, how to assess algorithmic bias and data lineage, and why integration timelines stretch 12-18 months. As 7 of the 15 largest US deals in 2025 are AI-focused, mastering AI due diligence isn't optional—it's the difference between capturing transformative value and joining the $190 billion destruction club.