Sophos teams with OpenAI to support MSPs with frontier AI

Sophos has teamed up with OpenAI to bring frontier AI models to managed service provider partners to build solutions on.

Under the agreement, Sophos will introduce OpenAI frontier models to the AI-native cybersecurity defence system Sophos Fusion, which enables both native and third-party control points to operate as one.

Sophos says the partnership will extend that open model to enable OpenAI frontier models to operate within a cyber defence system already designed to connect endpoint, network, email, cloud, identity and security operations. For managed service providers, this will enable the integration of frontier AI within the defence system they already run.

Later this month, Sophos also plans to bring into early access Sophos AI Defense, a tool for providing organisations with visibility into how AI and shadow AI are used across the enterprise environment and enforce policy on that AI usage. Sophos has revealed plans to expand this protection with OpenAI to secure the AI workloads, data and usage organisations are already depending on.

Sophos and OpenAI had already been partnering through the OpenAI Daybreak Cyber Partner Program, through which OpenAI works with security companies to develop AI-powered solutions for defenders.

Sophos CTO John Peterson said frontier AI only protects organisations at scale when the architecture is in place to operationalise it.

“Sophos Fusion will give OpenAI models a defence system to work inside: connected control points, shared context, and human accountability,” he said. “Our channel gives them reach through a global network of more than 25,000 partners, including over 7000 MSPs. For those partners, it opens a new class of AI security services to build a business on. That is how frontier AI reaches the organisations that need it most.”

He said by pairing Sophos Fusion with OpenAI’s frontier capabilities, Sophos intends to help partners enhance detection, investigation, and response and develop new services tailored to their customers’ needs.

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