Wednesday 22 July 2026 8:00 am
| Updated:
Tuesday 21 July 2026 10:19 am
Connecting AI to deal documents is only the first step. The real advantage comes from building intelligence across the deal life cycle.As artificial intelligence (AI) adoption accelerates across mergers and acquisitions (M&A), many firms are mistaking connectivity for intelligence. Connecting a large language model (LLM) to a traditional virtual data room (VDR) through model context protocol (MCP) may provide broader access to information, but access alone does little to connect insights across the deal pipeline. The firms generating real competitive advantages are deploying AI models trained around the context, workflows and behavioural signals that drive successful transactions.VDR + MCP = secure access, limited intelligenceWhen connecting to a traditional VDR, the MCP acts primarily as a document access layer that allows an external AI assistant to securely read files, search content and draft outputs. In this scenario, all reasoning happens in the general-purpose AI model itself, which means:
The VDR essentially functions as a well governed filing cabinet
