Kodiak AI, Inc.

Ares Acquisition Corporation II is a special purpose acquisition company affiliated with Ares Management Corporation. It operates as a blank-check company, raising capital through an initial public offering to pursue and complete a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization, or similar business combination with one or more target businesses. The company focuses on opportunities primarily in North America, leveraging Ares Management's expertise in credit strategies, private equity, specialty finance, and asset management, while remaining flexible for transactions in Europe and select other regions. Incorporated in Delaware in 2021 and headquartered in New York, Ares Acquisition Corporation II holds cash in a trust account dedicated to funding the selected business combination. It does not engage in traditional operations or generate revenue from products or services prior to completing a merger. Currently, it has entered into a definitive business combination agreement with Kodiak Robotics, Inc., an AI-powered autonomous vehicle technology provider focused on commercial trucking, positioning it as a vehicle for taking innovative technology firms public through the SPAC structure in the financial services sector.