2026 State of SASE + AI report

What fragmentation is actually costing enterprises

Most organizations didn’t set out to build fragmented environments. They made sensible decisions, tool by tool, over years. The result is what we call the complexity tax: the compounding cost of networking and security infrastructure that was never designed to work as a whole.

It shows up as budget consumed by redundant tooling, security gaps where coordination breaks down, and critical initiatives that stall waiting for teams to align. The 2026 State of SASE + AI report puts hard numbers on a problem most organizations have been absorbing quietly – and shows why AI is making it impossible to ignore.

Converged security and networking with centralized management

Where technology & organizational dynamics collide

Fragmented architecture doesn’t just complicate technology – it fragments teams. When networking and security operate from different systems, different priorities, and different definitions of success, alignment becomes its own full-time job.

The organizations making the most progress on convergence aren’t only consolidating tools. They’re restructuring how their teams collaborate, clarifying ownership, and building governance that lets both sides move together. This report documents the technical and organizational barriers that derail convergence initiatives – and the conditions that allow organizations to push through them.

The convergence challenge

Nearly all leaders surveyed (99%) have named convergence a strategic priority, and 95% say AI is what’s making it urgent. The consensus on direction is clear. The execution isn’t.

Technical complexity and skills gaps top the list of obstacles. But a third of organizations also cite internal resistance to change – a reminder that convergence is as much a people challenge as a technology one. This report maps the full gap between intent and action, and the specific steps that allow organizations to close it.