OpenAI is set to acquire Promptfoo, a startup that develops tools to identify and fix security vulnerabilities in artificial intelligence (AI) systems during development, as the ChatGPT maker deepens its push into enterprise AI.
According to Bloomberg, the acquisition will see Promptfoo’s technology integrated into OpenAI Frontier, the company’s recently launched platform designed to help organisations build and manage AI agents. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
OpenAI Frontier is intended to enable companies to deploy AI agents—referred to by the company as “AI coworkers”—with appropriate guardrails and controlled access to enterprise data.
The deal comes as OpenAI and its competitors accelerate efforts to develop advanced AI agents capable of performing complex tasks with minimal human intervention, while also trying to reassure corporate clients about safety, reliability and compliance risks associated with AI deployment.
Founded two years ago and based in San Francisco, Promptfoo develops open-source tools that test the security of AI systems. Its technology also enables organisations to carry out red-teaming, a process in which companies attempt to attack their own systems to uncover potential vulnerabilities before deployment.
Promptfoo’s customer base already includes around a quarter of Fortune 500 companies, reflecting growing demand for AI security and governance tools as businesses scale up the use of generative AI.
Ganesh Bell, Managing Director at Insight Partners, which led an $18.4 million funding round in the startup last year along with participation from Andreessen Horowitz, said the acquisition underscores the importance of secure enterprise AI deployment.
Following the acquisition, OpenAI Frontier will gain automated security testing and red-teaming capabilities, along with tools that allow organisations to monitor system changes and track testing processes to meet risk management and regulatory compliance requirements.
The company also said it will continue supporting Promptfoo’s open-source ecosystem while expanding its security capabilities within Frontier.
