When our firm closed a $4.2 billion cross-border acquisition last year, the partner leading the deal told me something I'll never forget: the AI tools we deployed saved us from walking away from a deal that became one of the most successful integrations in our client's history. That moment crystallized a truth many of us in corporate law are still grappling with—the transformation of M&A practice isn't coming; it's already here, reshaping how we approach everything from initial target screening to post-close integration oversight. The evolution of AI in M&A has moved beyond theoretical promise into tangible value creation across the deal lifecycle. Having worked on dozens of transactions over the past eighteen months where AI played a central role, I've witnessed firsthand how these technologies fundamentally alter the economics, velocity, and quality of corporate transactions. The stories from these deals—both the successes and near-misses—offer valuable l...