• Zscaler acquires SPLX, an AI security startup founded in 2023, to strengthen its Zero Trust Exchange platform with AI-specific protection.
• This marks Zscaler’s second AI-focused acquisition in 2025, following Red Canary, signaling a strategic pivot to making AI security a core focus, not an add-on.

If cybersecurity were a superhero franchise, Zscaler just cast its next star with the acquisition of SPLX, an AI security startup that’s basically the Swiss Army knife for protecting artificial intelligence at every stage. No theatrics, just precision-engineered protection for modern intelligence.

Why SPLX? Because AI Needs Babysitting

• AI systems are becoming prime targets for attackers due to their complexity and unpredictability.
  
• SPLX’s platform provides end-to-end AI protection from development to deployment, addressing the “AI babysitting” problem through automation and continuous monitoring.
  
• It runs 5,000+ simulated attacks daily, ensuring AI models are secure before real threats emerge.
  

AI is gold right now. Companies are shelling out billions to build AI-powered everything: from chatbots that almost understand sarcasm to recommendation engines that know you ordered sushi last Tuesday. But here’s the rub: AI systems are complex, unpredictable, and increasingly under siege by attackers who see them as juicy new targets. Enter SPLX, founded in 2023, with the express purpose of securing AI models, workflows, and infrastructure — think of it as the security guard that never sleeps, never blinks, and runs over 5,000 simulated attacks before your morning coffee.

SPLX’s claim to fame? Automated AI asset discovery, continuous red teaming (basically stress-testing AI defenses relentlessly), and governance tools that make sure AI behaves and obeys compliance rules. With Zscaler’s stamp of approval, this little startup is set to become the guardian angel for organizations deploying AI at scale.

One Platform to Rule Them All

Zscaler’s CEO, Jay Chaudhry, put it plainly: 

“AI is creating enormous value, but its full potential can only be realized when it can be secured.” 

The acquisition extends Zscaler’s Zero Trust Exchange platform with SPLX’s AI security tech, which means companies get an all-in-one solution covering AI from development through deployment. It’s like upgrading from a bicycle lock to fortress-level defense for your AI assets.

Why does this matter? Because as AI infrastructure investments are projected to top $250 billion by the end of 2025, the attack surface is massive and only getting bigger. Shadow AI (those rogue AI projects cooking up in unauthorized trenches) adds to the risk. SPLX’s continuous discovery and risk assessment shine a flashlight into those dark corners.

What SPLX Brings to Zscaler’s Table

• Automated AI Asset Discovery: Finding every AI model, agent, and workflow no matter where it’s hiding—public cloud, private cloud, or even that one laptop under your desk nobody talks about.
• Automated Red Teaming: Simulating thousands of cyberattacks on AI systems before the bad guys do. Think of it as a drill sergeant for your AI—only less shouting, more hacking.
• Runtime Guardrails: Real-time controls that prevent AI from running off the rails and exposing sensitive data or acting like an unruly teenager.
• Governance and Compliance: Keeping AI on-side with laws, regulations, and corporate policies, because even AI should follow the rules.

The Bigger Picture for Zscaler and its Partners

This is Zscaler’s second AI-focused acquisition of 2025, following Red Canary, a leader in AI-driven threat detection and response. It signals a strategic pivot where securing artificial intelligence isn’t just an add-on, it’s core to the cybersecurity mission.

For Zscaler partners and IT firms, this is an enviable space. It’s the chance to surf the AI security wave before it becomes a tsunami. Offering clients proactive AI risk assessments powered by SPLX’s red teaming and governance tech can position partners as innovators who don’t just respond to threats but anticipate them.

A Word to the Wise (IT Firms Thinking Differently)

If your firm wants to stand out, consider creating a service around what could be called the AI Risk Readiness Assessment. This would combine SPLX-powered continuous discovery and simulation with your team’s expertise to deliver:

• Customized simulation scenarios based on client environments.
• Workshops translating AI security jargon to business language.
• Identification and mitigation of shadow AI risks.
• Integration strategies covering hybrid and multi-cloud setups.

Clients want to buy confidence, and selling a comprehensive AI security program backed by Zscaler’s platform and SPLX’s tech is a compelling proposition.

Final Thoughts: The Future Is Secure (If You Let It Be)

Zscaler’s SPLX acquisition is more than just a tech deal. It marks a shift to securing AI as a living, evolving asset that requires constant vigilance. It’s a story about marrying cutting-edge AI innovation with no-nonsense security discipline, just with a dash of wit to keep things human.

For businesses itching to harness AI’s promise without starting a cybersecurity fire, Zscaler plus SPLX could be the superhero team-up worth rooting for. And for partners who get it? The punchline is that in cybersecurity, laughter (and a little wit) might just be the best firewall.