Palo Alto Networks Acquires AI IT-Automation Startup Console for $500M

TechCrunch · United States · Sep 2, 2026

Palo Alto Networks paid $500 million in cash and stock to acquire Console, a two-year-old AI startup that automates routine IT help desk tasks such as password resets and app access provisioning. The deal will integrate Console's agentic AI capabilities into Palo Alto's Cortex security platform, enabling autonomous investigation and resolution of alerts via natural language. Console had raised $29 million across two rounds and was last valued at $157 million before the acquisition. The deal is Palo Alto Networks' seventh acquisition in 2026, signaling continued aggressive consolidation in the AI-driven IT and security automation space.