Day two of Fortinet Accelerate 2026 doubled down on a single message: modern networking and cloud security must converge, be AI‑accelerated, and operate as a unified platform, with the event highlighting everything from Secure SD‑WAN leadership and FortiAI‑driven operations to CNAPP innovation and partner momentum as proof of how Fortinet is reshaping security operations for a hybrid, multicloud, data‑intense world.
The day’s sessions consistently reinforced that the growing complexity of modern networks and cloud environments demands an AI‑powered, unified architectural approach; with hybrid connectivity exploding, skills shortages widening, and multicloud becoming the norm, Fortinet positioned itself as the vendor capable of delivering true convergence, where networking and security are no longer separate disciplines but a single, integrated system.
A New Reality for Network Operations
Today’s NOCs are under immense pressure. Networks have become hybrid, distributed and application‑driven, while tool sprawl and inconsistent policies make visibility harder than ever. At the same time, teams are shrinking, expectations are rising, and human error remains the leading cause of outages, accounting for 95% of incidents.
This backdrop framed the importance of Fortinet’s unified platform, showing how integrated controls and AI automation can dramatically reduce disruption, simplify operations, and free teams from manual firefighting.
Secure SD‑WAN: “SD‑WAN Done Right”
One of the day’s strongest narratives was Fortinet’s continued dominance in Secure SD‑WAN, a space where it claims to be the most deployed and independently validated solution globally.
Security Built In, Not Bolted On
Fortinet reinforced its long‑held view that SD‑WAN must be inherently secure. Rather than layering security on top, FortiOS delivers networking and security natively within the same OS, same appliance, and same policy engine. The result is a simplified, more reliable architecture.
This approach has proven impact:
- 65% reduction in network disruption
- 300% ROI through ASIC‑accelerated performance and lower power use
- 50% productivity gain for networking and security teams
Fortinet’s ASIC advantage, providing hardware‑level acceleration without extra licensing, remains a unique differentiator, especially as customers look to consolidate vendors while boosting performance.
FortiAI: The Next Evolution of Network Operations
AI was the star of the day. FortiAI Assistant is now deeply embedded across FortiManager and FortiAnalyzer, transforming how teams deploy, configure and monitor networks.
AI That Understands the Operator
FortiAI supports multimodal input such as text, voice and even visual uploads like network topologies, giving operators a more intuitive and efficient way to interact with their network tools.
By enabling teams to troubleshoot issues, generate or validate configurations, automate repetitive tasks and maintain consistent policies through natural, flexible inputs, FortiAI moves beyond theoretical AI and directly tackles the operational burdens that overwhelm most NOCs today.
Cloud Security Matures: CNAPP That Reduces Real Risk
Cloud security sessions focused heavily on FortiCNAPP and the need for a unified, contextual, risk‑based view of cloud environments. As customers struggle with alert fatigue, inconsistent ownership and disconnected tooling, Fortinet presented a CNAPP built for clarity and action.
Customer Story: Monolithic Power Systems
Their testimonial highlighted FortiCNAPP’s strengths:
- visibility into identities and permissions
- configuration insights
- understanding of vulnerability exposure
- clear, end‑to‑end risk reduction
Key CNAPP Use Cases Presented
- Risk‑Based Cloud Security Operations
Reducing noise, identifying exploitable issues, and prioritising remediation. - Cross‑Team Accountability
Bringing Cloud, DevOps and AppSec teams under one shared, contextualised risk framework. - Continuous Posture Improvement
Tracking trends over time and identifying where sensitive data, PII, PHI, secrets, actually resides.
As leaders highlighted, CIOs and CISOs still lack clear ownership models, clear exploitability signals and visibility into misconfigurations affecting sensitive data. Fortinet positioned itself as the CNAPP built to address these gaps.
Innovation at Scale: FortiOS 8.0
Celebrating 25 years of security innovation, Fortinet showcased the breadth of advancement in FortiOS 8.0, highlighting progress across secure networking with capabilities such as NGFW, IPS, AV, sandboxing, switching, Wi‑Fi and even quantum‑safe technologies, alongside a strengthened unified SASE stack that brings together SD‑WAN, SWG, CASB, ZTNA, WAF and comprehensive cloud security.
They also emphasised major enhancements in AI and OT security, including the latest FortiAI improvements and dedicated protections for operational technology environments. Altogether, these innovations reinforced Fortinet’s position not just as an SD‑WAN or firewall vendor, but as a full‑spectrum platform provider.
AI Adoption Across Industries
AI uptake varies widely across sectors, with manufacturing (26%), finance (21%) and retail (14%) leading adoption. Healthcare lags at just 3%. This disparity underscores the need for adaptable AI capabilities that fit different industry maturities, something Fortinet’s platform approach appears well suited to address.
Partner Momentum and Market Outperformance
Fortinet closed the day with compelling business performance indicators, showcasing strong growth in both ecosystem and customer adoption.
Partner Development Highlights
- 20% growth in NSE4+ certified professionals
- 55% increase in partners with a specialisation
- 70% growth in partners with multiple specialisations
- 87% adoption of FortiFlex / FortiPoints
Market Growth vs Fortinet Growth
Fortinet’s growth is outpacing market CAGR in every major category between 2025–29:
- Secure Networking: Market 7% vs Fortinet 12%
- Unified SASE: Market 18% vs Fortinet 24%
- AI‑Driven SecOps: Market 10% vs Fortinet 22%
The message was clear: the platform strategy is working, and the ecosystem is accelerating alongside it.
Final Thoughts
Day two of Accelerate 2026 reinforced Fortinet’s core vision: security and networking must converge, AI must amplify people, and cloud protection must be contextual and risk‑driven. With strong innovation, partner growth and market momentum, Fortinet is positioning its platform as the backbone of secure digital transformation, from the data centre to the cloud, and everywhere in between.
