Who's who · AI security & safety
Protect AI
AI and machine learning security company, acquired by Palo Alto Networks in July 2025
At a glance
- Founded
- 2022
- Based in
- Seattle, United States
- People
- Ian Swanson, Co-founder and former chief executive; Daryan Dehghanpisheh, Co-founder; Badar Ahmed, Co-founder
- Known for
- Recon, Layer, huntr
- Funding
- Acquired by Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ: PANW), July 2025
- Parent
- Palo Alto Networks
- Acquisition completed
- 22 July 2025
- Website
- https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/ai-security/prisma-airs
Protect AI built security tools for machine learning systems and AI applications. Its technology covered model scanning, AI security posture management (tracking an organisation's AI assets and their weaknesses), red teaming and runtime protection. Recon tested AI workloads for weaknesses before deployment using a library of simulated attacks, and Layer filtered malicious prompts in production. It also ran huntr, a community that finds vulnerabilities in open-source AI and machine learning software.
The company was founded in Seattle in 2022 by Ian Swanson, Daryan Dehghanpisheh and Badar Ahmed. It raised $108.5 million from investors including Evolution Equity Partners, Salesforce Ventures and Samsung.
Palo Alto Networks announced the purchase in April 2025 and completed it on 22 July 2025. Protect AI's technology and team became part of Prisma AIRS, Palo Alto Networks' AI security platform, and Ian Swanson joined Palo Alto Networks as vice president of product for Prisma AIRS. Protect AI no longer operates as a separate company, and its website redirects to Prisma AIRS.
Sources
- Palo Alto Networks, Palo Alto Networks Completes Acquisition of Protect AI, 2025-07-22
- Salesforce Ventures, Welcome, Protect AI!, 2023-07-26
- SiliconANGLE, Palo Alto Networks buys Protect AI for reported $500M+, debuts new cybersecurity tools, 2025-04-28
- SecurityWeek, Protect AI Raises $60 Million in Series B Funding, 2024-08-02
Facts last checked 2026-10-02