Sophos AI Defense is now generally available: Help customers take control of AI use

Sophos AI Defense is now generally available, giving you a timely opportunity to help customers understand AI use and put enforceable guardrails in place.

Customers are adopting AI tools across their businesses. When employees use unapproved services, security teams can struggle to identify that activity and enforce acceptable-use policies. You can help customers address those gaps while extending their existing Sophos investment.

Available as an add-on for Sophos EDR, Sophos XDR, and Sophos MDR on the Sophos Fusion architecture, Sophos AI Defense delivers AI visibility and policy control, and allows you to lead the AI security conversation.

What customers can do today

Sophos AI Defense helps customers see AI, control AI, and secure AI.

• See AI use. Identify sanctioned and unsanctioned AI services, including shadow AI, and use centralized dashboards to understand activity.
• Apply AI policy. Manage AI usage policies centrally and apply supported controls through Sophos security products.
• Report on activity. Track AI usage and support conversations about how the organization is managing AI risk.

These capabilities give customers a practical starting point for controlling AI use through their security environment.

Sophos AI Defense will continue to evolve. Prompt inspection and protection, personal-versus-business account detection, and additional agent security capabilities are planned for future releases. They should be presented as roadmap capabilities, with timing subject to change, but product updates are coming quickly in the weeks and months to come.

Why sell Sophos AI Defense?

AI security gives you a fresh reason to engage customers and expand the value you deliver.

• Expand eligible accounts. Add Sophos AI Defense to existing Sophos EDR, Sophos XDR, and Sophos MDR opportunities. For Sophos Endpoint customers, use the AI conversation to explore an upgrade to Sophos EDR.
• Build advisory engagements. Consider offering AI usage reviews and policy-development support. Ongoing reviews can help customers revisit approved tools and adjust their approach as AI adoption changes.
• Strengthen customer relationships. Bring a practical response to AI governance concerns and help customers connect their policies with enforceable controls.
• Tap into AI security budgets. Where customers have designated funding for AI and its security, position Sophos AI Defense as a practical way to put that investment toward guardrails that provide AI security without killing productivity.

Start the customer conversation

Begin by asking about the customer’s current AI use and the controls they already have. Two questions can help uncover a useful starting point:

• What can you see? “Which AI tools are employees using, and how much of that activity can your security team see?”
• What can you control? “How are you enforcing your AI acceptable-use policy today?”

Use the answers to focus the discussion. A customer concerned about shadow AI may need visibility first. A customer with approved tools may want help applying usage policies consistently. Demonstrate the available capabilities that address their immediate needs.

Who can buy it?

Sophos AI Defense is a paid add-on for eligible Sophos EDR, Sophos XDR, and Sophos MDR customers enabled on Sophos Fusion. Customers must run Sophos EDR endpoint protection. Eligible Taegis customers can also purchase at GA without waiting for their Fusion migration. If a customer has not yet been upgraded to Sophos Fusion, start the conversation and work with your Sophos representative on eligibility and upgrade guidance.

Get ready to sell

Use these resources to prepare for your next customer conversation:

• Visit the Partner Portal for product information and sales resources.
• Watch on-demand Partner Academy training to build your product and positioning knowledge.
• Share the Sophos AI Defense product page with customers exploring AI visibility and control.
• Contact your channel account manager. Discuss suitable accounts and confirm current purchasing and deployment requirements.

Start with customers who need a clearer view of AI use or a practical way to enforce their policies. Sophos AI Defense gives you a focused opportunity to help them take the next step.