Private equity giants are recalibrating their software investment strategies as AI reshapes the industry. Thoma Bravo partner Tara Gadgil tells PE Hub that firms with deep domain expertise and trusted enterprise relationships will emerge as winners in this new environment. The shift reflects growing urgency among PE firms to navigate AI disruption.

AI has become a central theme in private equity conversations throughout 2026, driving everything from market sell-offs to workforce restructuring concerns. This week, Anthropic partnered with Blackstone, Hellman & Friedman and Goldman Sachs to launch a new enterprise services firm focused on deploying Claude, Anthropic's AI platform, across business operations.

The venture signals how PE firms are actively positioning themselves to capitalize on enterprise AI adoption. Gadgil's emphasis on trusted customer franchises suggests the firms prioritizing vertical specialization and established client relationships may outmaneuver those chasing pure technology plays.