Highlights:

  • Robust Intelligence has developed a platform designed to safeguard AI models and the data they utilize throughout the entire lifecycle, from development to production.
  • Cisco believes that Robust Intelligence’s tools can enhance threat protection for AI applications and models.

Cisco Systems Inc. recently announced that it is in the final stages of acquiring Robust Intelligence Inc., an artificial intelligence-focused security startup. Cisco has acquired Robust Intelligence for an undisclosed amount.

Robust Intelligence has developed a platform aimed at safeguarding AI models and the data they use throughout the entire lifecycle, from development to production. Cisco first took notice of the company a few years ago when the networking giant invested in it through its Cisco Investments division.

Tom Gillis, senior vice president and general manager of Cisco’s security business, stated in a blog post that the startup’s expertise in AI model security and governance complements Cisco’s existing security offerings.

Tom Gillis promised, “The combination of Cisco and Robust Intelligence means that we can deliver advanced AI security processing seamlessly into the existing data flows, by inserting it into Cisco security and networking products.” He added that Cisco anticipates this integration will improve visibility into AI traffic, allowing its customers to build and deploy AI applications with increased security.

Cisco also believes that Robust Intelligence’s tools can enhance threat protection for AI applications and models. According to the company, these tools will help mitigate risks such as prompt injection attacks, where malicious users attempt to manipulate AI models into misbehaving. Additionally, they can protect against data poisoning, jailbreaking, and unintended model outcomes, Gillis noted. Users will also benefit from simplified configuration, improved user experiences, attack prediction, and adaptive policy enforcement.

The company stated that it intends to incorporate Robust Intelligence’s automated model assessment and risk mitigation features into Cisco Security Cloud, allowing customers to secure their network, AI applications, models, and users all within a single platform.

Gillis mentioned that customers are increasingly focusing on IT modernization and cybersecurity to protect their AI investments. He pointed to Cisco’s 2024 AI Readiness Index as evidence supporting this trend. The study revealed that 95% of enterprises believe AI will “significantly impact IT infrastructure and security.”

Gillis noted that this will lead to a greater need for stronger security measures for enterprises. “As organizations increasingly rely on AI applications for innovation and efficiency, safeguarding these applications and their underlying models becomes critical. Traditional security tools often fall short in addressing the unique challenges posed by AI, creating a pressing need for specialized solutions,” Gillis wrote.

The acquisition of Robust Intelligence speeds up Cisco’s shift toward the security sector, aligning with its broader strategy to diversify its revenue stream and increase recurring sales. Once the world’s most valuable company, Cisco has faced challenges in recent years due to declining revenue from its core networking hardware business, which includes products like Ethernet switches and routers for data centers. As customers increasingly move their workloads to the public cloud, they are investing less in their own hardware.

In response, Cisco has shifted its focus more toward networking security, highlighted by its USD 28 billion acquisition of the cybersecurity and observability firm Splunk Inc. Additionally, the surge in AI has heightened the urgency as enterprises continue to grapple with how to safeguard their AI investments.

To take advantage of this opportunity, Cisco announced a USD 1 billion fund earlier this year to invest in AI startups and has already made substantial investments in AI model developers like Cohere Inc., Mistral, and Scale AI Inc.