Security Platform: AI’s Impact on Consolidation
Security Platform: AI’s Impact on Consolidation
https://futurumgroup.com/insights/security-platform/
Publish Date: 2026-03-22 10:05:00
Source Domain: futurumgroup.com
Palo Alto Networks is evolving its NextWave partner program to support the shift from point products to integrated security platforms, reflecting a broader market trend as AI accelerates both innovation and threat sophistication [1]. A modern security platform is essential as customers consolidate vendor relationships to cut complexity and improve resilience, raising the stakes for security providers. According to Futurum Group’s 2H 2025 Cybersecurity Decision Maker Survey (n=1,008), 62.1% agree AI-powered defensive tools are now a necessity, and 43.0% plan to expand their security vendor count.
What is Covered in this Article
- Palo Alto Networks’ NextWave program evolution and partner strategy
- The rise of platformization and vendor consolidation in cybersecurity
- AI’s dual impact: accelerating both defense innovation and adversary tactics
- Execution risks and market implications for security vendors and buyers
The News
Palo Alto Networks is retooling its NextWave partner program to align with the new realities of cybersecurity, where a comprehensive security platform is both a catalyst for innovation and a weapon for defense against adversaries [1]. The company is betting on platformization, moving away from fragmented point solutions and toward integrated security platforms that unify network, cloud, and security operations. This shift responds to customer demand for fewer vendors, simpler management, and stronger resilience against increasingly sophisticated threats. The evolution of NextWave aims to equip partners to deliver these integrated security platform solutions, while also building customer trust in a market where the stakes for security breaches have never been higher [1].
According to Futurum Group’s 2H 2025 Cybersecurity Decision Maker Survey (n=1,008), 73.2% of organizations expect their cybersecurity budget to increase in the next 12 months, and 62.0% have seen a significant…
