Why Handshake’s Acquisition of Cleanlab Could Redefine AI’s Data Backbone

When Handshake — once known primarily as a college career network — pivoted into AI data labeling, few in the broader tech world paid much attention. But its recent acquisition of Cleanlab, a renowned data quality and auditing startup, signals something bigger: a strategic tilt toward data quality leadership in the rapidly maturing AI infrastructure market. This deal isn’t just about growth — it’s about shaping how the next generation of AI models are trained and trusted.