Palo Alto Networks has acquired Console, an AI-native operations startup whose software lets teams build agentic workflows in natural language. The company said Console will be folded into Cortex, its security operations platform, to help customers investigate signals, prioritize work, and take action across enterprise environments.

Palo Alto did not disclose the deal terms. TechCrunch, citing two people with knowledge of the transaction, reported that the acquisition was valued at $500 million in cash and stock. The same report said Console was founded in 2024, raised $29 million across seed and Series A rounds, and had been valued at $157 million before the sale.

Security Agents

The rationale is straightforward: security teams already face large alert queues, and Palo Alto wants Cortex to become more than a dashboard for human triage. CEO Nikesh Arora said Console will let customers "have a direct conversation with data" and build workflows that help remediate issues automatically.

Console's original market was broader IT service automation. TechCrunch described the product as handling routine help desk work such as password resets, app access, and troubleshooting without direct human intervention. Palo Alto is narrowing that capability toward security operations, where speed and auditability matter.

The deal also shows how quickly enterprise agent startups are being pulled into larger platforms. For Palo Alto, the acquisition adds a small but specialized team at a moment when cybersecurity vendors are racing to turn AI from analysis into governed action.