French advertising giant Publicis has signed an all‑cash agreement to acquire U.S. data‑platform LiveRamp for an enterprise value of $2.2bn. The deal values LiveRamp at $38.50 per share, roughly 30 % above its Friday close. Chairman‑CEO Arthur Sadoun says the purchase will give clients exclusive data to build smarter AI agents on top of leading large‑language models and will be financed through borrowing.

AI is reshaping advertising, threatening traditional agency services with generative tools that can replicate creative functions. Publicis has already doubled down on the trend, buying data specialist Epsilon for $4.4bn in 2019. LiveRamp’s technology stitches together retailer, financial and healthcare data, enabling firms to create richer customer profiles that feed bespoke AI applications. This capability positions Publicis to out‑compete rivals in data‑driven campaigns.

The acquisition will be funded with cash and new debt, and LiveRamp’s CEO Scott Howe will remain in place reporting to Sadoun. Excluding €30 million of transaction costs, the deal should lift Publicis’s headline earnings per share from the first year of consolidation. Closing is expected before year‑end, subject to shareholder and regulator sign‑off. The combined portfolio is expected to strengthen cross‑selling opportunities.