ESET supercharges AI innovation with investment to address rapidly expanding attack surface
ESET, a global cybersecurity firm, announced a €40 million investment to develop AI-driven security solutions amid a surge in malicious AI skills, with nearly 800,000 scanned since March 2026, including 25,000 flagged as suspicious. The funds will expand its R&D team to 1,000 researchers, focusing on independent AI models, a layered security stack, and an AI-powered security operations center to counter evolving AI threats.
ESET, a leading cybersecurity company based in Bratislava, Slovakia, has committed €40 million to advance AI-powered cybersecurity defenses in response to a growing threat landscape. Since March 2026, ESET’s systems have scanned nearly 800,000 unique AI skills—modular components instructing AI agents—identifying 25,000 as suspicious and blocking over 3,000 as malicious. This marks a 13-fold increase from early 2026, highlighting the rapid expansion of AI-driven risks. The investment, announced by CEO Richard Marko at ESET World 2026, aims to strengthen ESET’s technological independence and address concerns over reliance on Big Tech-controlled AI systems. Marko emphasized that AI is no longer just a defensive tool but has become part of the attack surface itself, requiring specialized cybersecurity measures. The funds will support three key initiatives: developing security-first foundational AI models tailored for cybersecurity, building a layered AI security stack to protect AI workflows, and launching a new AI-powered Security Operations Center (SOC). ESET’s models will leverage its 35-year history of threat intelligence, including data from platforms like LiveGrid and LiveCortex, to enhance detection and response capabilities. The company plans to expand its R&D team to 1,000 researchers over three years, focusing on innovations such as World Models to analyze behavior and intent in digital environments. This initiative also aligns with broader goals of European cybersecurity sovereignty, reducing dependence on external AI providers. ESET’s Secure AI Relay, part of the layered security stack, will act as a secure intermediary for AI agent interactions, mitigating risks tied to third-party integrations. The investment underscores the urgency of adapting cybersecurity frameworks to evolving AI threats, ensuring organizations can operate safely in an autonomous AI-driven world.
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