CrowdStrike unveils AI partner push with Cognizant, CLEAR

CrowdStrike has unveiled a new AI partner specialisation and announced partnerships with Cognizant and CLEAR, extending its channel and alliance strategy across AI, operational technology security and identity verification.

The new AI Partner Specialisation sits within the CrowdStrike Accelerate Partner Program and targets partners that build, resell, manage or deliver AI-related security services around the Falcon platform. It is designed to align partner expertise and commercial terms with the way large organisations are adopting AI.

CrowdStrike is also introducing a Verified Agent certification for partner-built AI agents. The certification is intended to validate agents against CrowdStrike requirements before they are offered through the CrowdStrike Marketplace.

Daniel Bernard, Chief Business Officer at CrowdStrike, set out the rationale for the new specialisation.

"AI is reshaping the enterprise, creating an entirely new technology stack, operating model, and attack surface - and security must be foundational to all of it," said Daniel Bernard, Chief Business Officer, CrowdStrike. "CrowdStrike is bringing together the ecosystem that will secure the agentic era. We're giving partners the expertise, access, and economics to build, resell, manage, and deliver security with CrowdStrike as customers transform with AI. This is bigger than a partner program: it's how we scale trusted AI innovation across the industry and give every organisation the confidence to put AI to work."

The announcement reflects a broader shift in the cyber industry, as vendors try to position themselves not only as software suppliers but also as coordinators of wider ecosystems around AI deployment. CrowdStrike's framework divides those roles into four tracks: resell, manage, build and deliver.

OT security

In a separate alliance move, Cognizant and CrowdStrike are expanding their relationship with a new service called Cognizant Cybersecurity for Operational Technology. The service uses Falcon for XIoT and focuses on securing environments where information technology and operational technology systems overlap.

Cognizant said the offering combines its industrial engineering background and managed security operations with CrowdStrike's monitoring and protection across XIoT and IT estates. It covers OT asset discovery and visibility, threat detection and response, vulnerability management, attack surface management, identity and data protection, and governance and compliance.

The offering targets a growing problem for manufacturers, energy groups and operators of critical infrastructure. As older industrial systems connect to wider networks and remote access becomes more common, cyber risks have spread beyond traditional office IT environments into production systems and operational assets.

Vishal Salvi, SVP and Global Head of Cybersecurity at Cognizant, described the thinking behind the service.

"Organisations are increasingly looking for cybersecurity solutions that reflect the realities of their unique operating environments," said Vishal Salvi, SVP and Global Head of Cybersecurity, Cognizant. "As an AI Builder, Cognizant understands that effective cybersecurity must be tailored to each client's operational context. Together with CrowdStrike, we're bringing a unified approach that combines CrowdStrike security technology with deep industrial expertise to help clients reduce risk, strengthen resilience and protect critical operations."

Bernard also commented on the expanded relationship with Cognizant.

"IT and OT convergence has erased the boundaries adversaries once faced," said Bernard. "Together, CrowdStrike and Cognizant are bringing AI-powered protection across IT and OT to stop breaches without disrupting the critical operations businesses depend on - all on cybersecurity's winning single platform, Falcon."

The partnership began in 2025 and already serves clients in manufacturing, energy and critical infrastructure.

Identity link

CrowdStrike's third announcement centres on identity verification. It is integrating CLEAR1, CLEAR's identity platform, into Falcon so security teams can connect threat detection with person-based verification when suspicious activity appears.

The integration is intended to address a common security problem: attackers using valid credentials or trusted devices to make malicious activity look legitimate. Under the arrangement, a risk signal from Falcon can trigger verification through CLEAR1, and that result can then be used in the security decision process.

CLEAR said its system uses biometrics, government-issued identification and checks against authoritative sources to establish confidence in a person's identity. CrowdStrike said the integration can work with Falcon Next-Gen SIEM and Charlotte Agentic SOAR within existing workflows.

Bernard said the partnership broadens the role of identity in security operations.

"Identity is at the centre of how organisations operate and how adversaries attack. Bringing CrowdStrike and CLEAR together gives customers a new way to put high-assurance person-based verification to work as part of their security strategy," said Bernard. "This is what the Falcon platform is built for - bringing the best technology and intelligence together to help customers stop threats, reduce complexity, and move their businesses forward."

Brett Romanoff, EVP of CLEAR1, said the integration applies CLEAR's identity checks at the point of security review.

"At CLEAR, we've spent more than 16 years building technology that helps establish confidence in a person - not just a credential, account or device," said Romanoff. "Together with CrowdStrike, that verification is now available when security decisions are being made. By verifying the person when risk emerges, organisations can make more informed decisions while keeping trusted users moving."

Taken together, the announcements show CrowdStrike pushing beyond its core software offering into a broader partner-led model that ties AI development, industrial cybersecurity and identity assurance more closely to the Falcon platform. The CLEAR integration is available for existing CrowdStrike and CLEAR1 customers to activate.