Akamai to Acquire LayerX for $205 Million to Expand Browser-Based AI Security
Akamai Technologies has announced a $205 million agreement to acquire browser security firm LayerX to bolster its zero trust portfolio with AI usage control capabilities.
Akamai Technologies has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire LayerX, a specialist in browser-based AI usage control and secure enterprise browser (SEB) technology, for approximately $205 million. The deal, announced on May 15, 2026, is expected to close in the third quarter of the year, subject to customary closing conditions Help Net Security.
The acquisition is designed to extend Akamai’s existing zero trust security portfolio directly into the web browser, a move the company identifies as critical given that most enterprise tasks and interactions with generative AI, SaaS applications, and AI agents now occur within that environment. Unlike proprietary enterprise browsers that often require organizations to force employees to switch software, LayerX’s technology is designed to be browser-agnostic. It supports popular existing browsers and emerging agentic browsers, such as Atlas and Comet, without disrupting user workflows or requiring significant infrastructure changes Help Net Security.
By integrating LayerX, Akamai aims to provide security teams with real-time visibility and granular control over how employees interact with web content, prompts, and file uploads. This capability addresses a growing concern among security leaders regarding the lack of oversight into how sensitive data is shared with large language models (LLMs). Mani Sundaram, EVP and GM of Akamai’s Security Technology Group, noted that customers are struggling to monitor AI interactions, and this acquisition provides a necessary control layer at the point of use Help Net Security.
The integration will combine LayerX’s browser-based controls with Akamai’s existing zero trust capabilities, which already include Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), runtime protection for AI applications, and workload-level segmentation for AI inference. According to LayerX CEO Or Eshed, the goal is to provide a foundation for enterprises to deploy AI safely at a global scale by leveraging Akamai’s distributed edge platform Help Net Security.
As part of the agreement, LayerX employees, including co-founders Or Eshed and David Vaisbrud, will join Akamai’s zero trust organization. This acquisition marks Akamai’s fourth cybersecurity-focused purchase in Tel Aviv over the last five years, further solidifying the company’s innovation hub in the region. Financially, the acquisition is expected to be dilutive to Akamai’s non-GAAP EPS by approximately $0.12 for fiscal year 2026, with LayerX projected to reach $10 million in annual recurring revenue by the end of the year Help Net Security.
The move reflects a broader industry trend where traditional network-level security is being pushed to the endpoint and the browser to keep pace with the rapid adoption of generative AI. As organizations continue to integrate AI agents into their daily operations, the ability to govern these interactions without creating workforce friction has become a primary objective for security architects. The success of this integration will likely depend on how seamlessly Akamai can fold LayerX’s browser-based controls into its existing, massive edge infrastructure.