AI is amplifying operational weaknesses faster than most investors realise.

In this Real Deals expert commentary, Chelsea Wilkinson explains why data and AI diligence is becoming a critical source of conviction in private equity investing. As growth strategies increasingly depend on analytics, automation and AI, the article sets out why technology diligence alone is no longer sufficient — and how weaknesses in data quality, structure and connectivity can undermine execution, scale and valuation.

2025 was a year where data foundations became central to operational performance, valuation confidence, and exit readiness. Across deals and portfolio work, investors looked past AI ambition and focused on the evidence behind growth claims — particularly the completeness, connectedness, and reliability of underlying data.

Every now and then, something cuts through the AI noise and gets right to the heart of what actually drives value. This Goldman Sachs discussion does exactly that. What struck me most is how clearly it reinforces something we see every day at DataDiligence: AI isn’t magic. It’s 'momentum' built on top of clean, connected, well-understood data.

The RSPCA reminds us that 'a dog if for life', not just for Christmas'. The same applies to AI.

With 61% of European companies already embedding AI into their operations and 79% adopting a distributed data approach to comply with regulations and enhance AI capabilities, the market is moving faster than many investors anticipate. 

The UK is doubling down on AI, with AI Growth Zones, expanding computing power, and a push for AI in public services - all while

As legislation like the EU AI Act and the UK's DMCC Act become increasingly prominent, one message was clear: data and AI diligence is vital

The data landscape is rapidly evolving - reshaping how we understand and value companies.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a cornerstone of business innovation. It's no surprise that the majority of investment memorandums now mention AI in one form or another. As an investor, you need to ask yourself – is it just marketing, or is it something worth exploring?

Leveraging advanced analytics is not just a strategy - it's a necessity.

It's hard not to get caught up in the hype and sheer potential of AI - particularly generative AI.

Unlocking CFO potential: The power of data and analytics for private equity-owned businesses

Data-driven growth goes beyond technical competence in analytics. Translating insights into actions necessitates ...

Last week, Adam and I had the extraordinary opportunity of speaking at Riverside Acceleration Capital’s CEO Forum in New York. The topic – somewhat unsurprisingly – was GenerativeAI.

Generative AI is a branch of artificial intelligence that can create new content, such as text, images, music, or code, based on existing data and models.

The technological landscape is rapidly changing. And investors’ attention with it. Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is a transformative force, poised to revolutionise many industries. As this cutting-edge technology gains momentum, it's essential to explore which sectors are most likely to be impacted and how private equity investors can leverage these changes to their advantage.

How AI ready is your business? Or the business you are looking to invest into, or divest from?

In today's data-driven world, leveraging data to generate revenue is a game-changer – especially for private equity-owned businesses who are in a hurry to grow.

Generative AI is an exciting and transformative technology. It presents significant value creation opportunities but also inherent risks for private equity managers and their portfolio companies. Actually, for all companies!

It’s no secret that M&A deal activity started slowly in 2023. So, I was delighted to note in EY's 1Q 2023 Private Equity Pulse that March saw US$62bn in PE deals announced (whereas January was ~US$12bn, and February ~US$19bn).

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Sustainability is a critical concern for individuals, businesses, investors, and governments worldwide. As we strive towards a more sustainable future, data is rapidly emerging as a critical tool to achieving this goal.

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‘The best of times, and the worst of times,’ was the headline takeaway I wrote at the top of my notepad during last week's The Riverside Company Leadership Summit.

Data and analytics play an important role in HealthTech, so it is no wonder many of our data due diligence projects are in this hot space.

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In the game of scrabble, the word ‘data’ has a score of just 5. Not too impressive to be honest. In the world of business - however - data’s value is so much more.

A new year! Same challenges. And a few new ones - to boot! We can't wait to get our teeth into 2023 and support our clients in identifying and realising the value of their data assets.

Two years ago, DataDiligence created a new category of due diligence – the assessment of Data Assets to better inform investment decisions for buyers & sellers alike.

‘Data’ goes way beyond bits and bytes, a customer list, or production line feed. Data is an ecosystem of interdependent and interconnected activities. Which is why our data due diligence assesses a company’s maturity, capabilities, and capacities across four data dimensions – Strategy, Analytics & data, People, and Infrastructure – stress testing each to validate what exists today, and target what could be achieved tomorrow.

Intuitively, we all know that data is valuable. After all, our inboxes and news feeds are cluttered with headlines such as: ‘data is the new oil’. Plus, businesses demonstrating data-savvy behaviour have a ~200% greater market-to-book value than the market average, according to the International Data Corporation.

“I love talking with founders! They always have an exciting view of the world, and their motivators fascinate me.” These were the opening comments from a fellow M&A service provider yesterday. And beyond them leading to an engaging conversation about data, private equity, and consulting, they also got me thinking.