Side by side · No scores
Fortinet and Zscaler: GenAI security controls side by side
In short
Fortinet and Zscaler both state finds shadow AI use, inspects prompts for sensitive data, controls AI agent and MCP traffic, protects homegrown AI apps at runtime, blocks inline in real time and coaches or warns the user. Fortinet states has a watch or log-only action and can run on your own infrastructure, while Zscaler states nothing that Fortinet does not. This page compares published facts only; it does not pick a side.
By The Inline Desk · GenAI Security Finder · Published 2026-10-26
Desk research from the six vendors' own public pages, read on 7 October 2026. Profiles follow our published method; we did not run the products.
- SSE · Security cloud (SASE or SSE)
- AIG · AI gateway and guardrails
- FWG · Firewall or self-hosted gateway
- Fortinet: filled square where described
- Zscaler: dashed outline where described
- Filled square: described on the vendor pages we read
- Hatched square: partly described (a narrower scope, or the enforcement point is not stated)
- Dashed square: not in our sources (it may exist; we did not find it)
Check by check
| Check | Fortinet | Zscaler | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finds shadow AI use | Stated Discovers AI applications in use with their categories, use cases, risk levels and log details. Source: Fortinet: AI security · Read 7 Oct 2026 | Stated Detects and classifies thousands of AI apps, including AI embedded in popular SaaS applications; AI Asset Management auto-discovers models, agents, MCP servers and shadow AI. Source: Zscaler: AI Access Security · Read 7 Oct 2026 | Same status |
| Inspects prompts for sensitive data | Stated FortiAIGate checks prompts and outputs before they reach users or systems and is described as stopping data leaks. Source: Fortinet: FortiAIGate · Read 7 Oct 2026 | Stated Prompt and response extraction and classification, with controls to prevent sensitive data from leaving the organization. Source: Zscaler: AI Access Security · Read 7 Oct 2026 | Same status |
| Controls AI agent and MCP traffic | Stated Checks agent tool calls and catches prompt injection, jailbreaks and data leaks in MCP tool traffic. Source: Fortinet: FortiAIGate · Read 7 Oct 2026 | Stated Secures agentic communications through MCP and A2A brokers and governs agent-to-agent traffic. Source: Zscaler: AI security · Read 7 Oct 2026 | Same status |
| Covers coding agents | Not in our sources | Partly stated Zero trust access to AI developer tools with inline controls; named coding agents are not listed. Source: Zscaler: AI Access Security · Read 7 Oct 2026 | Zscaler partly |
| Protects homegrown AI apps at runtime | Stated Guardrails check text, images, audio, video and code, and catch prompt injection and jailbreaks. Source: Fortinet: FortiAIGate · Read 7 Oct 2026 | Stated The AI Gateway applies inline DLP and Zero Trust to every model, agent and API call; AI red teaming is offered. Source: Zscaler: AI security · Read 7 Oct 2026 | Same status |
| Blocks inline in real time | Stated FortiAI blocks unauthorized prompts; FortiAIGate is described as stopping harmful AI content in real time. Source: Fortinet: AI security · Read 7 Oct 2026 | Stated Block access by role in real time. Source: Zscaler: AI security · Read 7 Oct 2026 | Same status |
| Coaches or warns the user | Stated User coaching drives correct behavior and captures artifacts for intent investigation. Source: Fortinet: AI security · Read 7 Oct 2026 | Stated Allow, block or coach access by users or user groups. Source: Zscaler: AI Access Security · Read 7 Oct 2026 | Same status |
| Has a watch or log-only action | Stated Apply guardrails, monitor activity and adjust policies in real time. Source: Fortinet: AI security · Read 7 Oct 2026 | Not in our sources | Fortinet states it |
| Redacts or anonymizes data in prompts | Not in our sources | Partly stated Filters sensitive data from LLMs; how data inside a prompt is masked is not described. Source: Zscaler: AI security · Read 7 Oct 2026 | Zscaler partly |
| Can run on your own infrastructure | Stated With self-hosting, data and logs stay on your infrastructure; FortiSASE also has a Sovereign option deployed in the customer's own data centres. Source: Fortinet: FortiAIGate · Read 7 Oct 2026 | Not in our sources | Fortinet states it |
| States FedRAMP | Not in our sources | Not in our sources | Same status |
| Lists security attestations | Partly stated The trust page states alignment with the ISO/IEC 27000 series and NIST 800-53; specific certifications for FortiSASE are not stated in the text we read. Source: Fortinet: trust · Read 7 Oct 2026 | Not in our sources | Fortinet partly |
| One console for AI and network policy | Partly stated Unified SASE is built on a single OS, policy engine and management plane; FortiAIGate is described as a separate control point. Source: Fortinet: Unified SASE · Read 7 Oct 2026 | Partly stated Zero Trust SASE Everywhere lists branch, SSE and AI security together; one console for AI and network policy is not described. Source: Zscaler: Zero Trust SASE · Read 7 Oct 2026 | Same status |
Approaches
- SSE
AI controls in a SASE or SSE cloud
FortinetPartly described
ZscalerDescribed
- AIG
Standalone AI security layer
FortinetDescribed
ZscalerDescribed
- FWG
Firewall or self-hosted AI gateway
FortinetDescribed
ZscalerNot in our sources
- Filled square: described on the vendor pages we read
- Hatched square: partly described (a narrower scope, or the enforcement point is not stated)
- Dashed square: not in our sources (it may exist; we did not find it)
Responses
Fortinet
Fortinet states Watch, Coach and Block; Redact is not in our sources.
Zscaler
Zscaler states Coach and Block; Redact is partly stated; Watch is not in our sources.
Network and compliance in each vendor's words
| Fact | Fortinet | Zscaler |
|---|---|---|
| Network | A global network of 200+ PoPs on Fortinet-owned infrastructure, extended through integration with AWS, Google Cloud and Oracle Cloud. Source: Fortinet: FortiSASE · Read 7 Oct 2026 | No data-centre or PoP count on the pages we read. Source: Zscaler: Zero Trust Exchange · Read 7 Oct 2026 |
| Compliance | PSIRT disclosure aligned with ISO/IEC 30111 and 29147; security aligned with the ISO/IEC 27000 series and NIST 800-53. FortiSASE certifications such as SOC 2 or FedRAMP are not stated in the text we read. Source: Fortinet: trust · Read 7 Oct 2026 | Not stated on the pages we read. Source: Zscaler: Zero Trust SASE · Read 7 Oct 2026 |
| Analyst placement | Recognized as a Challenger in the 2026 Gartner Magic Quadrant for SASE Platforms. Source: Fortinet: FortiSASE · Read 7 Oct 2026 | Recognized as a Leader in the 2026 Gartner Magic Quadrant reports for SASE and SSE. Source: Zscaler: Zero Trust SASE · Read 7 Oct 2026 |
Which might suit you?
Look at Fortinet if AI traffic, data and logs must stay on infrastructure you run, or if you already run FortiGate firewalls and want AI controls from the same family.
Look at Zscaler if you already route user traffic through the Zero Trust Exchange and want AI app controls with coaching, or if you want MCP and agent-to-agent traffic governed at a central gateway.
In the quiz
| Profile | Fortinet | Zscaler |
|---|---|---|
| Shadow AI and prompt data, SASE in place, block inline | Same fit as Zscaler · Equal fit | Same fit as Fortinet · Equal fit |
| Agents and coding tools at scale, redact rather than block | Later | Later |
| Shadow AI and prompt data, coach people first | Same fit as Zscaler · Equal fit | Same fit as Fortinet · Equal fit |
| US federal supplier that needs FedRAMP | Later | Later |
| Homegrown AI apps on a firewall estate, self-hosted | First group | Later |
| Teams building AI apps, choosing network security now | Same fit as Zscaler · Equal fit | Same fit as Fortinet · Equal fit |
| Zscaler customer coaching first, large estate | Later | First group |
| Under 1,000 people, watching shadow AI first | Later | Later |
Limits to check
Fortinet
- Which enforcement point delivers employee AI controls (FortiSASE, a FortiGate or FortiAIGate) is not stated on the pages we read.
- Compliance certifications for FortiSASE, including FedRAMP, are not stated in the trust page text we read.
- Named coding agents are not described.
Zscaler
- Compliance certifications, including FedRAMP, are not stated on the pages we read.
- A watch-only action and named coding agents are not described on the pages we read.
- One console for AI and network policy is not described.
Questions
Which states more checks, Fortinet or Zscaler?
Fortinet states 8 of 13 checks and Zscaler states 6, on the pages we read. A count is not a quality measure: check the ones your answers make matter in the quiz.
Do Fortinet and Zscaler publish prices?
Neither publishes prices on the pages we read.
Which one covers MCP and agent traffic?
Fortinet: Stated. Checks agent tool calls and catches prompt injection, jailbreaks and data leaks in MCP tool traffic. Zscaler: Stated. Secures agentic communications through MCP and A2A brokers and governs agent-to-agent traffic.