Palo Alto Networks has announced the acquisition of Protect AI, a company specialising in securing AI and ML systems, particularly within enterprise environments.
The acquisition aims to strengthen Palo Alto Networks’ position in securing emerging AI ecosystems and accelerating the development of its new Prisma AIRS™ platform. Although the value of the deal has not been disclosed, it is expected to close by the first quarter of Palo Alto Networks’ fiscal 2026, subject to standard regulatory approvals.
Protect AI focuses on securing the full lifecycle of AI development, protecting models, data, agents, and infrastructure from vulnerabilities such as prompt injection attacks, model manipulation, and data poisoning. Palo Alto Networks, which has already developed early-stage solutions for AI security, sees Protect AI’s expertise as a strategic complement to its capabilities in this space.
Following the acquisition, Protect AI’s team and solutions will be integrated into Palo Alto Networks to accelerate the rollout of Prisma AIRS, a new platform that provides comprehensive protection across the AI lifecycle. Prisma AIRS is designed to help enterprises and government organisations secure complex AI ecosystems comprising models, APIs, tools, and third-party components.
The acquisition underlines the growing need for purpose-built security tools in AI-driven environments, where traditional cybersecurity approaches are insufficient to address the evolving threat landscape. Palo Alto Networks’ strategy reflects a strong commitment to innovation in safeguarding one of the most transformative technologies of the modern era.
Protect AI’s CEO and co-founder Ian Swanson, along with other employees and founding members, are expected to join Palo Alto Networks once the deal concludes.
Palo Alto Networks SVP and GM Anand Oswal said, “As AI-powered applications become core to businesses, they bring risks traditional security tools can’t adequately handle. 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.”
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