DAST vs AI Pen-Testing: What’s Actually Different

AI penetration testing tools are showing up everywhere. In the past two years, startups like XBOW, Novee, RunSybil, and Terra Security have collectively raised hundreds of millions in venture funding to automate what used to require a team of pen testers and weeks of manual testing. XBOW is reportedly in talks for a valuation north of $1 billion. If you’re a security professional or engineering manager evaluating automated security testing in 2026, the hype is hard to ignore.