Palo Alto Networks acquired Console, a two-year-old startup whose AI agents automate routine IT help-desk tasks, for roughly $500 million in cash and stock, TechCrunch reported September 2, 2026. Console, founded in 2024 and previously valued at $157 million, had raised $29 million from investors including Thrive Capital, DST Global and Palo Alto Networks CEO Nikesh Arora. Palo Alto Networks plans to fold Console’s technology into its Cortex platform so security teams can investigate and resolve alerts using natural language.
