F5 Unveils Converged Application Delivery and Security Platform for AI Era

F5 Introduces Converged Application Delivery and Security Platform

F5, a leading application security firm, has unveiled its new Application Delivery and Security Platform at its annual AppWorld 2025 conference. This innovative solution is the industry's first to fully converge high-performance load balancing and traffic management with advanced app and API security capabilities into a single platform 1

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Meeting the Demands of the AI Era

The platform is designed to address the challenges posed by the rapid adoption of AI in enterprise applications. According to F5's upcoming 2025 State of Application Strategy Report, 96% of organizations are deploying AI models, with an estimated 80% of all apps expected to be AI-enabled within three years 1

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François Locoh-Donou, President and CEO of F5, emphasized the platform's significance: "The F5 Application Delivery and Security Platform represents a giant leap forward for organizations, enabling them to overcome complexity and unlock the full potential of AI" 2

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Key Features and Benefits

The new platform offers several critical advantages for enterprises operating in hybrid multicloud environments:

1. Unified Management: Complete delivery and security for every app in a single platform, simplifying management for IT and security teams 1

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2. Flexible Deployment: Ability to deploy anywhere in any form factor, ensuring seamless operation across diverse IT environments 2

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3. Consistent Policies: Single policy and unified management across all locations, reducing complexity and improving efficiency 3

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4. Advanced Analytics: Rich, actionable insights to improve performance and strengthen security for complex applications 1

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5. Programmability: Fully programmable data planes enabling automated deployment and custom functionality 2

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6. Automation: Full lifecycle automation to allow teams to focus on innovation rather than maintenance tasks 3

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AI-Powered Innovations

F5 has also introduced several AI-driven solutions to complement the new platform:

1. F5 AI Gateway: A containerized solution that optimizes performance, observability, and protection for AI services 4

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2. AI Assistant for NGINX One: An intelligent tool using natural language interface to streamline operations and improve ROI 4

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3. AI Assistant for BIG-IP: An upcoming release that will automate the creation and optimization of iRules, improving accuracy and reducing errors 1

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Industry Impact and Expert Opinion

The convergence of application delivery and security capabilities is seen as a crucial development in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. Christopher Rodriguez, Research Director at IDC, noted: "The convergence of application delivery and security capabilities will be indispensable for companies striving to stay ahead in this rapidly evolving landscape" 2

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Chuck Herrin, F5's field CISO for API security, highlighted the importance of this integration: "We have the capability to literally secure and run and deliver any app, in any API, anywhere. One single dashboard where I can see all this stuff. That's all I want as a defender" 3

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Conclusion

F5's new Application Delivery and Security Platform marks a significant advancement in application security and delivery for the AI era. By converging critical functionalities and leveraging AI-powered tools, F5 aims to help organizations navigate the complexities of modern IT environments while unlocking the full potential of AI-driven innovation.