Coursera to acquire Udemy to create $2.5B MOOC giant

Core Insights - Coursera and Udemy are merging to create a significant player in online education, focusing on AI skills training for the global workforce [3][6] - The merger is valued at $2.5 billion and is expected to generate $1.5 billion in annual revenue while eliminating approximately $115 million in costs [6] Company Strategies - Both companies emphasized the importance of AI in their merger rationale, aiming to enhance investment in AI-driven platform innovation and product development [3][6] - Coursera's CEO highlighted the need to leverage AI to improve learner experiences and capabilities across the platform, mentioning the introduction of an AI tutor called Coursera Coach [4] Market Demand - Generative AI has been identified as the most in-demand skill in Coursera's history, with an average of 14 users enrolling in generative AI courses every minute [5] - Udemy's CEO noted that companies are heavily investing in AI transformation but face challenges in demonstrating ROI due to a lack of core workforce capabilities [6]