Akamai is a cloud cybersecurity company that dedicates itself to the provision of what it calls “superior threat intelligence” to safeguard enterprise data and applications. With a recognisable brand name and existing stack already in place, when Akamai goes shopping these days, logically, it has to be for AI-centric security tooling. As such, this month we see the organisation enter into a definitive agreement to acquire LayerX, a provider of browser-based AI usage control and secure enterprise browser technology. But what does any of that mean in real terms?
A secure enterprise browser (SEB) is a data-centric, managed web browser that enforces corporate security policies, access controls and data protection inside the company premises and so directly within the user workspace.
Browser-based AI usage control monitors and regulates how employees interact with generative AI tools, preventing data leaks and enforcing corporate compliance policies.
The age of browser-based work
LayerX’s services will extend Akamai’s protection into the browser, where the majority of enterprise tasks now occur and where today’s workforce engages with generative AI applications, SaaS AI solutions and AI agents.
Is this really, substantively, the age of browser-based work?
Industry commentary suggests that it is and that modern workloads live in SaaS cloud databases and generative AI platforms. An estimated 80% to 90% of user-to-agent activity, enterprise tasks and LLM prompt interactions are happening inside browser environments.
With this acquisition, Akamai says it is taking a “critical step” in the evolution of its Zero Trust security portfolio and addressing one of the most urgent priorities for security leaders in 2026: AI usage control.
Again, let’s pause for clarification, validation and definition… what is that portfolio exactly?
Microsegmentation situation
Akamai’s Zero Trust portfolio secures the distributed enterprise by verifying every user and device, enforcing microsegmentation (to isolate workloads within networks, restricting lateral movement to stop hackers or malware from spreading across corporate environments), preventing the spread of malware and isolating browser-based threats without hindering user performance.
LayerX supports the most popular browsers, unlike proprietary enterprise browsers that require organisations to switch browsers and disrupt their users. This allows the users to securely continue with their preferred browser without disruption, as well as leverage the new generation of agentic browsers, including Atlas, Comet and others.
By accommodating existing browsers, security teams benefit from greater real-time visibility and control over uninhibited use, including when users interact with web content, prompts, file uploads, and SaaS applications. LayerX enables this without infrastructure changes or creating new workforce friction.
Governed AI at the point of use
“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, exec VP & GM of the 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.”
Combined with Akamai’s existing Zero Trust portfolio capabilities, which include Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), runtime protection of AI applications and workload-level segmentation of AI inference, Akamai is delivering AI usage control that spans the user, the application, and the infrastructure. Together, these deliver the high-performance, scalable security that customers around the world have relied on for nearly three decades.
“Securing human and agentic AI usage has become one of the defining challenges in enterprise security,” said Or Eshed, CEO & co-founder, LayerX.
Tel-Aviv technology trade טֶכְנוֹלוֹגְיָה
Eshed confirms that LayerX employees will now join Akamai’s Zero Trust organisation. As Akamai’s fourth Tel Aviv–based cybersecurity acquisition in the past five years, LayerX will further the technical depth and expertise of its growing cybersecurity innovation hub in the region.
The closing of the transaction, which is subject to customary closing conditions, is expected to occur in the third quarter of 2026.
Also read: Akamai acquires data storage startup Ondat