There’s no need to worry about robots destroying the world when humans are doing it without any help.  So I’m less intrigued than I once was about Phrasee, which uses AI to create and optimize marketing email, SMS, Web and social media messages. But it’s still worth noting that they just sold a majority stake to capital D, a private equity fund manager based in London.  Expect more private equity deals now that the public markets have pulled back from all-time highs.

Data compilers may be threatened by new privacy rules, but they also see an opportunity to serve marketers who are looking for new lists.  DrivenIQ provides auto dealers and retailers with tech to identify anonymous website visitors, in ways that are not entirely clear but they swear are fully privacy compliant.  They just bought Visitor Data Inc., which uses “double opted-in first-party data pixel technology” to match mobile device IDs with names, emails, phone numbers, and street addresses.

Salesforce has reversed course on its bid to acquire data management and integration platform Informatica a source has told Reuters. Informatica itself said that it is not in talks to be acquired. Salesforce stocks rose on this latest news while Informatica’s fell.