Coursera and Udemy Announce $2.5 Billion Merger to Create Online Learning Giant
Wed Dec 31 2025
Coursera and Udemy, two of the world’s most recognisable online learning platforms, have entered into a definitive merger agreement valued at approximately $2.5 billion, marking one of the largest consolidations in the global edtech industry.
Under the terms of the deal, Coursera will acquire Udemy in an all-stock transaction. The companies expect the merger to close in the second half of next year, subject to regulatory approvals and shareholder consent.
A Strategic Move Amid Market Headwinds
The merger comes at a time of growing pressure on public edtech companies. Despite reporting revenue growth in Q3 2025, both Coursera and Udemy saw their share prices decline, reflecting investor concerns over long-term growth, margins, and intensifying competition.
By combining operations, the companies aim to:
- Achieve greater scale and cost efficiencies
- Diversify revenue streams across consumers, enterprises, and institutions
- Strengthen their competitive position in a crowded global learning market
“Through this combination with Coursera, we will create meaningful benefits for learners, enterprise customers, and instructors, while delivering significant value to shareholders who will participate in the upside of the combined company,” said Hugo Sarrazin, CEO of Udemy.
AI Becomes the Core Growth Engine
Artificial intelligence is central to the rationale behind the merger.
Both companies have accelerated AI investments to improve personalisation, content discovery, and workforce relevance:
- Coursera recently announced an integration with OpenAI’s ChatGPT app ecosystem and a content partnership with Anthropic
- Udemy launched an AI-powered microlearning experience, delivering short, personalised lessons for time-constrained learners
Executives believe a combined platform will be able to:
- Deploy AI features faster
- Train models on richer learning-behaviour data
- Personalise learning at enterprise and individual scale
Sarrazin noted that the merged company will be better positioned to build AI-native learning products that adapt continuously to changing skill demands.
Tackling the AI Skills Gap
The merger also reflects a broader shift in global workforce requirements.
As AI adoption accelerates across industries:
- Job postings increasingly list AI literacy as a core requirement
- Surveys show one in three hiring managers may reject candidates lacking AI skills
- Enterprises are prioritising continuous reskilling, not one-time training
“We’re at a pivotal moment where AI is redefining the skills required for nearly every job,” said Greg Hart, CEO of Coursera.
“Organizations and individuals need a learning platform that is as agile as the skills they must now master.”
The combined company aims to serve this demand across:
- Individual learners
- Enterprises and governments
- Universities and professional institutions
Complementary Strengths, Broader Reach
If completed, the merger would bring together two complementary models:
Coursera
- University-backed courses and degrees
- Professional certificates and enterprise learning
- Strong institutional partnerships
Udemy
- Massive instructor-led marketplace
- Practical, skills-first content
- Flexibility and rapid course creation
Together, they would form one of the most comprehensive online learning ecosystems globally, spanning academic credentials, professional upskilling, and just-in-time learning.
A Defining Moment for Edtech
The Coursera–Udemy deal signals a wider consolidation trend in edtech, as platforms adapt to slower post-pandemic growth and rising AI-driven expectations.
Scale, data, and enterprise relationships are becoming critical advantages—and smaller, fragmented platforms may struggle to compete.
Final Takeaway
The $2.5 billion Coursera–Udemy merger is more than a financial transaction—it’s a strategic bet on AI-powered lifelong learning.
As AI reshapes how people work, learn, and reskill, the combined company is positioning itself to sit at the centre of that transformation—offering education that evolves as fast as the skills economy itself.
Wed Dec 31 2025
