Palo Alto Networks has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Protect AI, a business working on artificial intelligence and machine learning applications and models.
Palo Alto says the acquisition reflects its commitment to remaining at the forefront of next-generation cybersecurity innovation and expanding its capabilities to protect the dynamic new attack surface created by the explosion of AI.
The company says large enterprises and government organisations are building a complex ecosystem of AI models, agents, infrastructure, tools, APIs and third-party components. This creates new and often overlooked risks, with threat actors exploiting vulnerabilities in different layers through techniques like model manipulation, data poisoning and prompt injection attacks.
The threat landscape requires purpose-built solutions to reduce risk and provide best-in-class security. Palo Alto Networks was an early mover in building out solutions for securing AI, and Protect AI has already established itself as an important player in this increasingly critical new area of security.
“As AI-powered applications become core to businesses, they bring risks traditional security tools can’t adequately handle,” said Palo Alto SVP Anand Oswal. “By extending our AI security capabilities to include Protect AI’s innovative solutions for Securing for AI, businesses will be able to build AI applications with comprehensive security.”
“With the addition of Protect AI’s existing portfolio of solutions and team of experts, Palo Alto Networks will be well-positioned to offer a wide range of solutions for customers’ current needs, and also be able to continue innovating on delivering new solutions that are needed for this dynamic threat landscape,” he added.
“Joining forces with Palo Alto Networks will enable us to scale our mission of making the AI landscape more secure for users and organisations of all sizes,” said Protect AI CEO Ian Swanson. “We are excited for the opportunity to unite with a company that shares our vision and brings the operational scale and cybersecurity prowess to amplify our impact globally.”
Protect AI CEO, founders, and employees are expected to join Palo Alto Networks once the deal closes. The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals, and is expected to close by Palo Alto Networks’ first quarter of fiscal 2026.
