NTT DATA and Palo Alto Networks have announced a major multi-year global cybersecurity partnership aimed at helping businesses adopt artificial intelligence securely while staying ahead of increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.
The alliance, announced on 20 August 2026, is the first strategic partnership of its kind between Palo Alto Networks and a global systems integrator. The companies are targeting US$1 billion (about R16.9 billion) in joint business by 2029.
The collaboration combines Palo Alto Networks’ AI-powered cybersecurity technology with NTT DATA’s consulting, engineering and managed services capabilities.
Securing the AI revolution
As businesses increasingly integrate AI into their operations, both companies say cyber threats are evolving at the same rapid pace.
The partnership will focus on helping organisations assess cyber risk, deploy AI securely and strengthen their overall security infrastructure.
Palo Alto Networks Chief Partnerships Officer Simone Gammeri said businesses are now required to defend against AI-powered attacks while simultaneously adopting AI to remain competitive.
The companies aim to address both sides of the challenge by delivering “AI for security and security for AI.”
The initial solutions will target highly regulated industries, including financial services, healthcare, manufacturing and the public sector.
The partnership will focus on six key areas:
- Autonomous Security Operations Centres: Using agentic AI and managed services to detect and respond to threats.
- AI Governance: Building security, risk management and accountability into the AI lifecycle.
- Identity Security: Managing human, machine and AI-agent identities.
- Zero Trust and SASE: Protecting users, applications and data across complex environments.
- Resilient Cloud: Improving visibility, compliance and risk management across multi-cloud systems.
- Firewall Modernisation: Upgrading legacy network security and improving threat visibility.
Thousands of cybersecurity experts involved
The partnership brings together more than 2,000 Palo Alto Networks-certified professionals and NTT DATA’s 7,500 cybersecurity specialists, supported by 70 delivery centres and 20 Cyber Defence Centres.
NTT DATA will also receive early access to new Palo Alto Networks platform capabilities through direct engineering collaboration, allowing the companies to accelerate the development and deployment of AI security solutions.
NTT DATA serves 75% of Fortune Global 100 companies, while its parent company, NTT Group, invests around US$3 billion (about R50.7 billion) annually in innovation.
Palo Alto Networks, meanwhile, says its infrastructure blocks up to 30.9 billion cyber attacks every day.
AI adoption with security at the centre
Abhijit Dubey, CEO and Chief AI Officer at NTT DATA, said the partnership would combine the strengths of both companies to help businesses move faster without compromising security.
“Together with Palo Alto Networks, we are bringing AI-powered cybersecurity innovation together with NTT DATA’s consulting, engineering and managed services capabilities to help clients securely accelerate AI adoption and stay ahead of evolving threats,” said Dubey.
The partnership signals a growing shift towards integrated AI cybersecurity, as businesses face the challenge of protecting increasingly AI-driven operations from threats that can evolve just as quickly.
Main Image: Techopia
