The era of standalone Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) may be coming to a close as companies increasingly merge with CDPs to access data, drive personalization, and increase loyalty. The driving force behind these acquisitions is the need for unified, real-time data, which is essential for businesses to create seamless customer experiences at every touchpoint. To achieve this, a customer data platform should be part of an open platform that integrates communications channels, data sources, AI capabilities, and flexibility to add custom solutions, rather than being limited to a specific application or channel. The recent string of mergers and acquisitions among CDPs highlights the importance of data in defining business positioning and staying relevant in a rapidly changing tech stack.