Bain uses AI replicas to assess acquisition targets

What happened

Bain & Company has vibecoded (created AI-generated replicas of) hundreds of rough software prototypes as part of due diligence work for potential acquisitions. What started in 2023 as a dedicated team effort is now being used by rank-and-file consultants across the firm.

Why it matters

As the cost of building software drops, buyers need a clearer way to judge whether a target company's defensible strength lies in its actual code or elsewhere in its business. The replicas help show what a software company can and cannot do, and where it fits in the value chain. At least one Silicon Valley private equity firm has already dropped out of a bidding process after a Bain-vibecoded recreation of an analytics platform influenced their decision.

What to watch

Private equity-led tech, telecom, and media deal volume has collapsed by 69 percent in the first quarter of 2026 compared with the final quarter of 2025, signaling a broader shift in how acquirers evaluate AI risk. Two Silicon Valley private equity executives have publicly stated they have slowed their dealmaking and stepped up scrutiny of AI risk in every target they examine.