Salesforce Buying Informatica: A Smart Move with Some Risks

Salesforce’s decision to acquire Informatica marks a major step in strengthening its data and AI capabilities. The move supports Salesforce’s broader strategy to encourage customers to use data in new and more advanced ways. As more companies rely on clean, well-managed data to power automation and AI, the acquisition positions Salesforce to offer a more complete and unified solution.

Why It’s a Good Purchase

Informatica is a leader in helping businesses connect, clean, and organize data. Its tools for data integration, governance, and quality are widely adopted—and just this year, Gartner recognized Informatica as a top performer in the data organization and governance space. By bringing Informatica into the Salesforce ecosystem, customers will be able to move and manage data more easily, from storage to insights to action.

This acquisition also supports Salesforce’s push to expand its Data Cloud and AI capabilities. Informatica’s cloud-native platform enables customers to prepare data for AI use more efficiently—an essential step for delivering smarter recommendations, personalized experiences, and automation across Salesforce products.

Why It’s a Bit Risky

Despite the upside, there are risks. Informatica has long operated as an independent company, serving a wide range of platforms—not just Salesforce. Some customers may worry that Informatica will now become too closely tied to Salesforce, potentially reducing its flexibility and support for other ecosystems.

There’s also uncertainty about how Informatica will operate post-acquisition.

Salesforce has said little so far about whether Informatica will retain autonomy or shift its focus entirely toward Salesforce integration. Historically, Salesforce has taken a gradual approach with acquisitions of popular independent tools—such as Tableau—where customer loyalty is strong. It remains to be seen how quickly and in what form Informatica’s strengths will be integrated into the Salesforce platform.

Final Thoughts

Salesforce’s purchase of Informatica is a strategic bet on the future of data-driven business. If Salesforce can successfully integrate Informatica without alienating its existing user base, the acquisition could significantly enhance Salesforce’s value as a data and AI platform.