Check Point Software Technologies (CHKP) Technology Leadership Forum 2026 summary

Market trends and investment outlook

• AI is driving budget reallocations, with significant dedicated AI security spend expected in next year's annual operating plans.

• 2027 is anticipated as a standout year for AI investment and security funding cycles.

• Organizations are increasingly recognizing the necessity of security as AI adoption accelerates.

Go-to-market strategy and execution

• Recent go-to-market changes focused on large customers and multi-year contracts for new account acquisition.

• Disruption from these changes impacted Q2 results, but confidence is higher for Q3 and Q4 performance.

• Sales force expansion is underway, with a net increase of about 150 expected by year-end.

• Multi-year contracts allow sales reps more time to build relationships and close large deals.

Product innovation and differentiation

• The AI Network Firewall was introduced, offering advanced threat prevention and compatibility with existing hardware via software upgrades and subscriptions.

• The firewall provides comprehensive protection, including DLP for apps and unique MCP server protections.

• The CTEM product, enhanced by the Veriti acquisition, enables virtual patching for over 70 competitor products and is the fastest-growing product.

• Maestro is highlighted as a differentiator for large capacity networks and cloud environments.