AI firm Cohere to buy cybersecurity company Aislie

TORONTO — Canadian artificial intelligence firm Cohere says it has signed a letter of intent to purchase a cybersecurity business.

The acquisition target is Aislie, a company based in San Francisco and Prague that has developed AI systems capable of uncovering and responding to cyber threats.

Cohere did not immediately reveal the value or structure of the deal, as well as its expected closing date.

The company says the transaction is a way to further develop sovereign AI and invest in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, also known as EMEA.

Aisle was started last year by Ondrej Vlcek, the chief executive of Avast, a Czech cybersecurity company.

Vlcek and his fellow co-founders will take on leadership roles at Cohere, which has promised to make a substantial investment in EMEA and further expand Aisle.