Palo Alto Networks acquires Console to boost AI security automation

Palo Alto Networks has acquired Console, an AI-native platform designed to build agentic workflows for enterprise operations. The acquisition, valued at approximately $500 million in cash and stock according to one report, aims to integrate Console’s technology into Palo Alto Networks’ Cortex security platform.

Console specializes in AI agents that automate repetitive IT help desk tasks, such as password resets, access management, and basic troubleshooting using natural language. By incorporating these capabilities, Palo Alto Networks intends to transition security operations toward a “software-as-an-agent” model. This approach allows security teams to interact with data through natural language to investigate signals, prioritize tasks, and remediate issues autonomously.

Nikesh Arora, Chairman and CEO of Palo Alto Networks, stated that the acquisition provides the platform with the “arms and legs” necessary to deliver autonomous security outcomes across an enterprise. Before the acquisition, Console had raised $29 million in funding from investors including Thrive Capital and DST Global.