Silver Lake in Talks to Acquire Workday Inc.

Shares of Workday Inc. surged between 18% and 25% on Thursday following reports that private equity firm Silver Lake is in talks to acquire the human resources and financial management software provider. The discussions have reportedly been ongoing for several months and would constitute one of the largest software buyouts in history.

Silver Lake may seek additional investors to finance the transaction, potentially mirroring its previous partnership with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund for the acquisition of Electronic Arts. Neither company has officially commented on the reports, and sources indicate a deal is not guaranteed.

The potential takeover occurs as software-as-a-service providers face investor concerns that artificial intelligence could disrupt traditional business models. Workday reported a 13% rise in sales in May, and co-founder Aneel Bhusri returned as CEO in February to lead the company's AI strategy.