Proofpoint acquires Acuvity to expand AI security and governance across the agentic workspace

Proofpoint has acquired Acuvity, a specialist in enterprise AI security and governance, as organisations accelerate the use of generative AI, autonomous agents, and model-connected applications across core business functions. The move reflects growing concern among enterprises that rapid AI adoption is creating new operational and regulatory risks that traditional security tools were not designed to address.

AI tools are increasingly embedded in workflows spanning software development, customer support, finance, and legal teams. While these systems promise gains in speed and productivity, they also introduce risks linked to unapproved AI usage, exposure of sensitive data, intellectual property leakage, and compliance breaches. New attack vectors, including prompt injection and model manipulation, are adding further pressure on security teams already managing complex environments.

By bringing Acuvity into its platform, Proofpoint is aiming to address these challenges with deeper visibility and control over how AI systems and human users interact. The acquisition is positioned as a response to the growing overlap between human behaviour, data access, and AI-driven decision-making within what is increasingly described as the agentic workspace.

Extending security controls into human and AI collaboration

The integration of Acuvity’s technology expands Proofpoint’s focus beyond human-centric threats to include AI agents that can access data, execute tasks, and make decisions alongside employees. As organisations deploy AI copilots and autonomous systems, security teams are being asked to manage risks that operate at machine speed and scale.

Acuvity’s capabilities are designed to provide AI-native visibility and governance across agent-driven workflows. This includes monitoring how AI tools are accessed, what data they interact with, and how decisions are made within automated processes. The goal is to allow organisations to adopt generative AI while maintaining oversight, compliance, and trust.

“AI agents are becoming active participants in the enterprise, accessing data, executing tasks and making decisions alongside people. Securing this new model of work requires understanding human intent, agentic behaviour and risk in real time,” said Ryan Kalember, Chief Strategy Officer at Proofpoint. “Together, Proofpoint and Acuvity enable organisations to confidently adopt AI tools and agents with the governance, visibility and control required to manage risk. By securing humans, defending data and governing AI through a unified platform, Proofpoint is uniquely positioned to protect the agentic workspace end to end—something no other cybersecurity company delivers today.”

This approach reflects a broader shift in enterprise security, where the focus is moving from perimeter-based controls to understanding interactions and intent. As AI agents take on more responsibility, the boundary between human action and automated decision-making continues to blur.

Building a unified platform for people, data, and AI

Acuvity brings new detection models and control points designed specifically for AI-driven environments. Its platform provides visibility across enterprise AI usage, covering endpoints, web browsers, and emerging AI infrastructure such as Model Context Protocol servers. It also supports locally installed AI tools, including OpenClaw and Ollama, which are increasingly used by developers and technical teams.

These capabilities allow organisations to govern interactions with external AI services while also securing custom models and internal AI applications. By analysing context and intent, Acuvity’s technology aims to distinguish between legitimate use and risky behaviour, whether initiated by a person or an autonomous agent.

With the addition of Acuvity, Proofpoint is positioning its platform as a single environment that brings together collaboration security, data security and governance, and AI security. This integrated approach is intended to reduce fragmentation for CISOs and CIOs who are managing multiple tools while facing growing pressure to enable AI adoption safely.

“AI is fundamentally reshaping how work gets done and enterprises are overwhelmed by the pace of AI adoption and the complexity of securing it,” said Satyam Sinha, co-founder and CEO of Acuvity. “In an AI-accelerated world, intelligence is no longer confined to applications or infrastructure; it lives in interactions, decisions and autonomous agents acting on our behalf. Securing that future requires a new approach — one that governs how AI thinks, acts and learns in real time.”

Proofpoint expects Acuvity’s capabilities to strengthen how organisations secure communication, collaboration, and data access in environments where AI agents are increasingly embedded. The combined platform is intended to help enterprises adopt AI with greater confidence, without sacrificing security or compliance as automated systems take on a larger role in everyday work.