Juniper Networks Inc. is making a big bet on artificial intelligence.

The network equipment maker today announced that it has inked a $405 million deal to buy Mist Systems Inc., a heavily funded startup using AI to automate companies’ Wi-Fi infrastructure. Juniper said that it will pay for the acquisition in combination of cash and equity awards.

Founded in 2014, Mist offers a cloud-based platform that helps organizations manage the wireless networks at their offices and other corporate locations. The offering sets itself apart with machine learning algorithms that automate some of the day-to-day maintenance tasks involving in providing steady Wi-Fi access.

One of Mist’s standout features is Marvis, a virtual assistant that helps troubleshoot connectivity issues. It lets administrators access data about malfunctioning network devices via a natural-language search bar that removes the need to write complex queries. Network professionals can enter questions like “Marvis, what’s wrong with the router in the office lobby?” to find the specific diagnostics information they’re after.

Mist’s cloud platform can also carry out certain maintenance tasks on its own. Late last year, the startup rolled out a tool to automate radio resource management, which is process of fine-tuning network settings such as wireless signal strength to optimize Wi-Fi coverage.

Mist sells the service together with a line of wireless access points that can provide connectivity for a wide range of environments. The startup’s products help power wireless networks at offices, retail stores and college campuses among other locations.

Juniper has big plans for Mist. Besides establishing a bigger presence in the wireless market, the company plans to use the startup’s technology to bring automation features to its existing products.

“The AI engine that powers the Mist portfolio will become a key part of our go-forward plans,” Bikash Koley, Juniper’s chief technology officer, wrote in a blog post. “By integrating the Mist AI-driven technology into our Contrail-led orchestration solutions, we have the opportunity to provide abstracted control over a diverse set of resources ranging from the wireless network to the campus or branch and all the way out to both public and private clouds.”

Juniper has been steadily building out its AI capabilities over the last couple of years. In late 2017, it picked up Cyphort Inc., a startup that offered an AI-powered platform for detecting data breaches. The company has also developed a set of virtual assistants called Juniper Bots to automate repetitive network management tasks.

As for Mist, Juniper’s $405 million acquisition price amounts to a respectable exit. The startup has raised about $88 million in funding from Alphabet Inc.’s GV venture capital arm, Kleiner Perkins and a number of institutional investors.

Juniper expects to close the transaction in the second quarter.

Photo: Juniper Networks