TLDR: Harness, an AI DevOps Platform company, has acquired Qwiet AI (formerly ShiftLeft Inc.) to integrate agentic AI-powered vulnerability detection and remediation into its software delivery platform. This strategic move, effective September 26, 2025, aims to embed security directly into the DevOps pipeline, particularly addressing the rising security challenges posed by AI-generated code. The acquisition reinforces Harness’s commitment to building an AI-native DevSecOps platform and is expected to significantly enhance its application security offerings, which are projected to reach $50 million in ARR this year.
SAN FRANCISCO – Harness, a leading AI DevOps Platform™ company, announced on September 29, 2025, its acquisition of Qwiet AI, formerly known as ShiftLeft Inc. The deal, which became effective on September 26, 2025, is a significant step for Harness in strengthening its application security business and reinforcing its vision for an AI-native DevSecOps platform. This acquisition follows Harness’s earlier merger with Traceable Inc. in March 2025, further expanding its security capabilities.
Qwiet AI is recognized for its agentic AI-powered vulnerability detection and reachability analysis. The core of Qwiet AI’s service lies in its Code Property Graph (CPG)-based static analysis, which offers high true-positive detection capabilities. This technology is crucial for addressing common developer pain points such as vulnerability fatigue and tool sprawl, by providing deeper insights and precision for identifying and eliminating vulnerabilities.
Rahul Sood, an industry veteran and former executive at Palo Alto Networks Inc. and product manager at Google LLC, is joining Harness as General Manager of Security. Sood emphasized the strategic importance of this acquisition, stating, “This acquisition is another example of Harness’ commitment to building a true AI-native DevSecOps platform. Qwiet is the best agentic AI application security tool in the market, and we plan to integrate it natively so it becomes part of the fabric of Harness.” He further noted that the integration of Qwiet’s Code Property Graph alongside Harness’s Software Delivery Graph will allow for enhanced vulnerability detection and elimination.
The acquisition comes at a critical time when software development is accelerating, largely fueled by AI coding tools. While AI-generated code boosts speed, it also introduces new challenges, including insecure patterns, omitted safeguards, and fabricated dependencies, leading to a surge of hidden vulnerabilities. Jyoti Bansal, co-founder and CEO of Harness, highlighted this concern: “AI-generated code is transforming how software gets built, but it’s also introducing a new wave of hidden vulnerabilities. With Qwiet AI, we’re extending our robust application security portfolio to secure code from the very first step. By unifying security and DevOps, every build, test, and deployment can be secure by default – reducing risk while accelerating innovation.”
Harness aims to embed security directly into the DevOps pipeline, reducing the chances of dangerous code reaching production. This move is expected to help enterprises adopt AI-driven coding practices while ensuring that innovation and security advance together. The company’s application security business is projected to reach $50 million in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) this year, underscoring the growing demand for integrated security solutions.
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Qwiet AI, originally founded in 2016 as ShiftLeft and rebranded in February 2023, employs 45 people and has raised $58.3 million in outside funding. Since August 2022, the firm has been led by Stuart McClure, known for founding Cylance, which was later sold to BlackBerry.
