GuardionAI vs. Cisco AI Defense (Robust Intelligence)
Which AI security platform is right for your team? We break down the differences in features, latency, and protection scope to help you decide.
Last reviewed: 2026-07-03
| Feature | GuardionAI | Cisco AI Defense (Robust Intelligence) |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Focus | Agent Runtime Governance | AI Firewall & Assessment |
| Tool Call Protection | Deep Inspection | Not documented |
| Deployment | Inline Security Gateway / Guard API / Claude Code plugin | Cloud API |
| Guardrails Latency | <130ms policy decision | Low |
| Detection Accuracy | 96.3 F1 on the Prompt Security Leaderboard with 0.02% false positives | Not published / varies by deployment |
| Compliance | GDPR-ready, HIPAA-ready, LGPD-ready, SOC 2 Type II (in progress) | SOC2, FedRAMP |
GuardionAI figures from guardion.ai (Policy engine decisions return in under 130ms — 20× faster than cloud provider guardrails.) • Cisco AI Defense (Robust Intelligence) figures from public documentation, reviewed 2026-07-03.
Choose GuardionAI if...
- •You are building autonomous AI agents that use tools, MCP servers, or APIs.
- •Latency is critical for your application (Policy engine decisions return in under 130ms — 20× faster than cloud provider guardrails).
- •You want DLP for PII and secrets before data leaves your org.
- •You need a single hub to investigate and respond to agent incidents.
Choose Cisco AI Defense (Robust Intelligence) if...
- •Enterprises already standardized on Cisco networking and Secure Access
- •Security teams that want model validation and runtime enforcement from one large vendor
- •Organizations that prefer buying AI security through an existing Cisco agreement
Frequently asked questions
What happened to Robust Intelligence?
Cisco acquired Robust Intelligence in October 2024. Its AI validation and firewall technology now ships as Cisco AI Defense, integrated with the Cisco security stack; the standalone Robust Intelligence platform is no longer sold separately.
Is Cisco AI Defense the same as Robust Intelligence?
Cisco AI Defense is built on Robust Intelligence's technology — algorithmic red teaming and runtime guardrails — but is a broader Cisco product that adds network-level visibility and is sold as part of the Cisco security portfolio.
What is Cisco AI Defense (Robust Intelligence)?
Robust Intelligence pioneered the AI firewall and automated model assessment. Acquired by Cisco in 2024, its technology now ships as Cisco AI Defense — runtime protection, model validation, and AI visibility integrated with the Cisco security stack. It is categorized under Runtime Guardrails & AI Firewall in the Guardion AI Security Index.
Who owns Cisco AI Defense (Robust Intelligence)?
Cisco AI Defense was acquired by Cisco. Acquired by Cisco in 2024, its technology now ships as Cisco AI Defense — runtime protection, model validation, and AI visibility integrated with the Cisco security stack.
Is Cisco AI Defense (Robust Intelligence) open source?
No, Cisco AI Defense (Robust Intelligence) is a commercial product (Enterprise (Cisco)).
What are the best Cisco AI Defense (Robust Intelligence) alternatives?
Teams evaluating Cisco AI Defense (Robust Intelligence) most often compare it with Lakera (Check Point), Meta (Llama Guard), Prompt Security (SentinelOne), and GuardionAI — all listed under Runtime Guardrails & AI Firewall.
How does Cisco AI Defense (Robust Intelligence) compare to GuardionAI?
Cisco AI Defense (Robust Intelligence) focuses on ai firewall & assessment, while GuardionAI is an agent runtime governance platform ("EDR for AI agents") that governs every agent tool call inline with sub-130ms guardrails latency.
Last reviewed: 2026-07-03
Sources: cisco.com · robustintelligence.com