Salesforce in talks to acquire AI startup Listen Labs for $2 billion

Salesforce is reportedly in ongoing discussions to acquire Listen Labs, an artificial intelligence-powered customer research platform, for approximately $2 billion. The startup utilizes voice AI to conduct large-scale customer interviews and provide insights to companies such as Microsoft and Perplexity.

Listen Labs recently walked away from a signed term sheet for a $125 million Series C funding round led by Menlo Ventures, which would have valued the company at $1.5 billion. Industry sources suggest the financing likely collapsed due to the acquisition talks with Salesforce.

While the deal is not finalized, some analysts suggest that if talks fail, Listen Labs may return to the market seeking a valuation of $2 billion or higher. The startup currently generates approximately $30 million in annualized revenue. Salesforce has previously expanded its AI capabilities through other acquisitions, including the $3.6 billion purchase of the AI customer service platform Fin.