The proposed deal, for which financial terms have not been disclosed, is also aimed at helping IBM customers to address crime, fraud and security threats.
The Cambridge-based software firm has more than 4,500 customers in 150 countries that span multiple sectors, including banking, defence, law enforcement, national security and retail.
IBM said the acquisition of i2's technology will enhance its abilities to help customers harness data from disparate and unstructured sources such as social media, biometrics and criminal databases to combat fraud and reduce security threats.
"The combined [real-time analytics] capabilities of IBM and i2 will help customers uncover patterns and trends that will allow them to more effectively protect the privacy and safety of citizens, businesses and governments," said Craig Hayman, general manager of industry solutions at IBM.
Robert Griffin, chief executive of i2 said the combination of his company's products with IBM's data collection and warehousing technologies will help organisations enhance situational awareness and make connections between seemingly unrelated data.
IBM plans to integrate i2 into its software group after the acquisition, which is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2011, subject to regulatory reviews.
This story was first published by Computer Weekly