Browser security becomes Akamai’s next AI control point with LayerX deal

Enterprise AI adoption is creating a security problem inside the browser, where employees access generative AI tools, SaaS AI services, and AI agents as part of daily work. Akamai Technologies is moving to address that gap through a definitive agreement to acquire LayerX, a provider of browser-based AI usage control and secure enterprise browser technology, for approximately US$205 million.

The deal will extend Akamai’s Zero Trust portfolio into browser-level activity, giving enterprises more visibility into how employees interact with AI tools, prompts, file uploads, web content, and SaaS applications. LayerX employees, including co-founders Or Eshed and David Vaisbrud, will join Akamai’s Zero Trust organisation when the transaction closes.

Securing AI at the browser layer

The browser has become a primary access point for enterprise AI use, but many security controls still sit around networks, applications, or infrastructure. That leaves security teams with limited visibility into what employees are submitting to AI tools and how sensitive data may be shared with large language models.

LayerX addresses this by applying controls within the browser environment itself. Its technology supports commonly used browsers, which allows organisations to add AI usage control without forcing employees to switch to a proprietary enterprise browser.

That matters for adoption inside large organisations, where security measures that disrupt workflows often face resistance. Akamai said LayerX also supports agentic browsers, including Atlas and Comet, extending the scope of control to newer AI-driven browsing environments.

“Our customers are adopting AI at record speed, and they’re telling us the same thing: Their existing controls cannot see how employees are interacting with AI tools and sharing with large language models,” said Mani Sundaram, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Security Technology Group, Akamai. “The acquisition of LayerX helps close that gap, providing Akamai with a control layer that governs AI at the point of use so enterprises can move at AI speed without compromising safety and compliance.”

Akamai adds LayerX to Zero Trust

Akamai plans to combine LayerX’s browser-native controls with its existing Zero Trust capabilities, including Zero Trust Network Access, runtime protection of AI applications, and workload-level segmentation of AI inference.

The combination gives Akamai a broader security layer across users, applications, and infrastructure. Instead of treating AI security as a single application or access issue, the acquisition brings browser activity into the same control framework as network access and AI workload protection.

LayerX’s approach also avoids infrastructure changes, according to Akamai. For enterprises already managing fragmented security stacks, that could make deployment easier than browser replacement projects or controls that require heavier changes to user environments.

“Securing human and agentic AI usage has become one of the defining challenges in enterprise security,” said Or Eshed, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, LayerX. “We’re giving enterprises the foundation to deploy AI safely at a global scale by bringing LayerX’s technology together with Akamai’s Zero Trust portfolio and the world’s most distributed edge platform. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to accelerate our security vision through this deal.”

The deal adds to Akamai’s Tel Aviv security base

The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions. Akamai has agreed to acquire all outstanding equity of LayerX for approximately US$205 million, after expected purchase price adjustments.

Akamai expects the acquisition to dilute its non-GAAP EPS by approximately US$0.12 for fiscal year 2026. The LayerX business is expected to have annual recurring revenue of approximately US$10 million by year end.

LayerX also expands Akamai’s cybersecurity presence in Tel Aviv. Akamai said this is its fourth Tel Aviv-based cybersecurity acquisition in the past five years, adding technical depth to its cybersecurity innovation hub in the region.