INFO TECH

Cisco bolsters AI security by buying robust intelligence

Published by

11 months ago

CISCO plans to purchase a startup led by a former Harvard computer science and mathematics professor to enhance the security of AI applications and infrastructure.

The California-based networking giant said its proposed acquisition of San Francisco-based Robust Intelligence will ensure secure deployment of AI technologies by safeguarding AI applications against emerging risks and protecting AI models throughout their life cycles. The company’s automation and risk mitigation capabilities will help Cisco customers deploy AI while complying with industry standards.

“Our intent to acquire Robust Intelligence marks an exciting new chapter in our journey to secure the AI-driven enterprise,” said Cisco Security senior vice president and general manager, Tom Gillis in a blog post.

“Together, we’ll push the boundaries of AI security, empowering organizations to embrace AI’s full potential while safeguarding their critical assets,” he added.

Robust Intelligence, founded in 2019, employs 79 people and has raised US$44 million in three rounds of outside funding, culminating in a US$30 million Series B round in December 2021.

The company has been led since its inception by Yaron Singer, a former Google and Microsoft research scientist, who spent more than a decade as a computer science and mathematics professor at Harvard.

“‘AI risk’ is not a single problem with a single solution. It is diverse and complex, manifesting in every aspect of the AI adoption/development life cycle.”

Robust Intelligence co-founder, Kojin Oshiba said in a LinkedIn post: “With Cisco’s vast product portfolio in its security platform and its remarkable reach to pretty much every security team on the planet, we now have a very special key to unlock the next chapter to realise our mission.”