DiligenceSquared uses AI, voice agents to make M&A research affordable

Editor's take

DiligenceSquared is leveraging AI voice agents to automate customer due diligence for private equity firms, aiming to reduce the cost and time associated with traditional M&A research. This approach directly targets a significant bottleneck in the M&A process, where extensive human-led customer interviews are a costly and time-intensive component. By automating this, DiligenceSquared could democratize access to thorough M&A analysis for a wider range of investment firms, potentially accelerating deal cycles and improving the quality of pre-acquisition insights.

The success of this model will hinge on the accuracy and depth of insights generated by the AI agents compared to human consultants. Key metrics to monitor will be the rate of actionable intelligence uncovered, the reduction in overall due diligence costs for clients, and the scalability of their voice agent technology across diverse customer bases and industries. Future developments to watch include how DiligenceSquared handles nuanced customer feedback and whether it can adapt its agents to probe beyond surface-level responses, thereby truly replicating, or even surpassing, the value of experienced human analysts.