Zscaler is your network layer.
Aona is your human layer.
If you have Zscaler, you already have great network-level AI visibility. This page covers what it does not see, and whether that gap matters for your stack.
Network-level SSE that blocks unsanctioned AI apps at the edge.
Browser plugin and native endpoint app that intercept AI prompts and files for hard-block DLP and policy enforcement.
Keep Zscaler for network-level blocking and SSE policy. Add Aona for browser-level prompt inspection, hard-block DLP on AI prompts and files, and policy violation trend reporting. They are complementary layers, not competitors.
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When to pick which
Five scenarios. The honest answer for each one.
You only need to block unsanctioned AI apps at the network edge.
Zscaler does this well at scale. Adding Aona would be over-buying.
You have AI policy violations on managed devices, on the corp network.
Zscaler catches the event. Aona prevents the next one by coaching the employee at the moment of action.
Your employees use AI on home wifi, personal devices, or BYOD.
Zscaler does not reach off-network traffic. Aona's browser extension travels with the user.
You need to show the board a behaviour-change trend, not just an incident count.
Zscaler reports incidents per period. Aona reports policy violations per team, per tool, per data type, over time.
You need to enable AI adoption, not just block it.
Zscaler enforces. Aona educates. Most enterprises need both: a clear ceiling and a coaching floor.
What each tool actually does
Three columns on the Aona side because the browser plugin and the native endpoint app cover different surfaces. Browser-only customers will see fewer green checks than customers with both.
| Capability | Aona browser plugin | Aona native app | Zscaler |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discover | |||
| Network-level shadow AI discovery | All traffic on the corp network | ||
| Browser-level prompt inspection on submit | Server-side classification | Plugin coordinates with native | |
| Native desktop AI app interception (ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude desktop) | Out of scope for browser plugin | MITM proxy for desktop apps | |
| Coverage on managed devices off the corp network | Plugin travels with the browser | Endpoint app travels with the device | Only managed devices on the corp network |
| Govern | |||
| Real-time employee coaching at the moment of action | Modal pauses, hard block on violation | Same modal across browser and native AI | Block page only, no explanation |
| Policy acknowledgement and onboarding flows | |||
| Policy violation trend reporting (per team, per tool) | Platform feature, fed by plugin | Platform feature, fed by native | Incident dashboards only |
| Protect | |||
| Network-level block of unsanctioned AI apps | Core capability | ||
| Inline prompt redaction before send | |||
| AI agent inspection (process, network, MCP) | Process + network + MCP | ||
| Operations | |||
| Time to first signal | Hours | Hours | Already deployed |
| macOS at enterprise scale (managed via MDM) | Plugin pushed via MDM | Manual install only today | Existing SSE coverage |
Based on vendor documentation as of April 2026. Email trust@aona.ai if you find a factual error.
What it takes to ship each one
- Microsoft Intune (Windows MDM, only path shipped)
- Microsoft Entra (admin SSO + user/group sync)
- Active Zscaler tenant
Where each one falls short
From public docs and customer interviews. If you find a factual error, email trust@aona.ai.
- No network-level blocking. Zscaler does this at the edge; Aona does not.
- Endpoint-required: no Shadow AI visibility on devices we are not deployed to (no BYOD, no mobile).
- macOS at enterprise scale needs manual install today (Intune is Windows-only for the native endpoint).
- Block pages give the user no context. No coaching, no learning loop.
- Off-network traffic (home wifi, mobile, BYOD) is not in scope.
- Per-prompt content inspection is not the SSE pattern. You see app usage, not what was sent.
How Aona and Zscaler work together
Run them as adjacent layers. Zscaler keeps doing what it does at the network edge. Aona adds the human layer. The result is fewer events for Zscaler to catch, because employees stop creating them.
Network layer
Zscaler monitors AI traffic, blocks unsanctioned apps, alerts your security team.
Human layer
Aona intercepts at the browser, coaches the employee, tracks behaviour change.
Fewer violations
Employees learn faster than they break things. Your SSE handles less noise.
See what Zscaler is not showing you
90-day free trial. Deploys alongside your existing Zscaler stack in under an hour. No network changes, no commitment.