Palo Alto Networks has reportedly acquired Console, a two-year-old startup that uses AI agents to automate routine IT help desk tasks, for $500 million in cash and stock. The companies announced the acquisition on Tuesday but did not disclose the terms.
Console, founded in 2024, had raised $29 million across two funding rounds, including a $6.2 million seed round led by Thrive Capital and a $23 million Series A co-led by DST Global and Thrive. Prior to the sale, Console was valued at $157 million, according to PitchBook.
Palo Alto Networks stated it will integrate Console into Cortex, its platform that uses AI to detect and neutralise threats. Console's agentic functionality is expected to allow security teams to investigate and resolve alerts using natural language, which CEO Nikesh Arora described as giving Cortex "the arms and legs to deliver autonomous security outcomes across the entire enterprise."
Console's services included automating tasks such as password resets, granting access to applications, and performing routine troubleshooting without direct human involvement. This acquisition is Palo Alto Networks' seventh in 2026, according to PitchBook.