Big Tech ‘acquihiring’ is an ugly but useful trend

Big Tech ‘acquihiring’ is an ugly but useful trend
(Image: Getty)
Bloomberg
By Parmy Olson(Bloomberg Opinion) -- If you’re a venture capitalist, you dream of backing the next billion-dollar startup to one day feast on the returns of a sale. The buyer? A gargantuan tech company, of course. But these days, Big Tech isn’t buying so much as “acquihiring” the most promising artificial intelligence (AI) firms, specialised deals that scoop up the industry’s hottest talent while avoiding antitrust scrutiny, often by leaving behind business operations, a.k.a. the husk of a company.'I disli...

More Technology

Google revenue soars on AI boom
Technology

Google revenue soars on AI boom

Google is spending billions of dollars on infusing its products with AI capabilities.

The ‘tech bro’ approach to real estate
Property

The ‘tech bro’ approach to real estate

Tokenised property is coming, whether the regulators participate or not, experts say.

Maria Slade 25 Jul 2025
The fund riding a surge of golden visa cash
Markets

The fund riding a surge of golden visa cash

Punakaiki has raised more in a few months from visa applicants than all of 2025.

Air NZ inks direct partnership with ChatGPT maker OpenAI
Markets

Air NZ inks direct partnership with ChatGPT maker OpenAI

Air New Zealand has signed a deal to work with ChatGPT maker OpenAI on multiple projects, including using artificial intelligence to test new products and services before presenting them to a human focus group.The agreement also gives Companion AI – the airline’s deployment of Ch...

Staff reporters 24 Jul 2025