Top Cybersecurity Incumbents Pivot to Agentic AI and Autonomous Platforms

Major cybersecurity incumbents are moving to consolidate their market dominance by integrating agentic artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous defence capabilities into their core platforms. Rather than facing disruption from a wave of AI-centric startups, established players are leveraging aggressive acquisitions and internal research to address a threat landscape increasingly defined by machine-speed attacks.

Market analysts suggest the industry is entering a new “supercycle” as organisations upgrade infrastructure to manage the risks associated with autonomous agents and non-human identities. This shift has triggered a series of high-value mergers and a fundamental rewrite of how security operations centres (SOCs) function.

Palo Alto and Microsoft Lead the Agentic Shift

Palo Alto Networks remains at the forefront of this evolution, recently reporting that its Prisma AIRS platform reached $100 million in annual recurring revenue within its first year. The company has bolstered its identity security capabilities through a significant $25 billion acquisition of CyberArk, alongside the purchase of agentic AI startup Console and cloud observability specialist Chronosphere.

Microsoft has similarly pivoted toward autonomous security with the introduction of Project Perception. This system utilizes teams of AI agents to simulate attacks and investigate threats without constant human intervention. Microsoft currently processes 100 trillion threat signals daily, integrating these insights into its agentic SOC offering within Microsoft Defender.

The focus on protecting security across supply chains has become more critical as AI agents gain broader access to sensitive enterprise data and credentials.

Strategic Acquisitions Define the Market

The race to build all-encompassing security platforms has led to significant consolidation. Proofpoint recently completed a $6.3 billion purchase of Varonis, aiming to connect human behaviour analytics with deep data visibility. This move addresses the reality that as attackers move faster, securing the data itself becomes the primary objective.

Other notable moves include:

• Cisco: The networking giant acquired Galileo Technologies, Astrix, and WideField Security to embed AI security across APIs and data centre workflows.
• Google: Integration of Mandiant and Wiz acquisitions with its Gemini AI assistant has created a platform capable of automated code remediation and threat defence.
• Fortinet: The company acquired Virtue AI to enhance runtime protection for autonomous systems, focusing on hybrid mesh firewalls for AI infrastructure.
• Zscaler: Following the acquisition of Red Canary and SquareX, the firm launched a fully agentic SOC service designed to stop automated attacks.

The Rise of the Agentic Internet

The nature of web traffic is also changing, necessitating a shift in cloud-based security. Cloudflare recently noted that more than 50% of the traffic across its network is now non-human. This transition from human-driven browsing to agent-driven commerce is forcing providers to rethink traditional perimeter defences.

CrowdStrike and SentinelOne are also expanding their portfolios to cover the full AI lifecycle. CrowdStrike’s acquisition of SGNL and Seraphic Security aims to secure identities for AI agents, while SentinelOne has integrated AI-native runtime protection into its Singularity platform through the purchase of Prompt Security.

As these technologies become more autonomous, they must also navigate evolving data protection regulations that govern how AI systems handle personal information. The convergence of data security, identity management, and AI posture management is expected to remain the primary driver of cybersecurity investment through 2027.