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Government organizations are under increasing pressure to act with agility, collaborate across departments, and make fast, data-driven decisions. In the defense sector, these challenges are heightened by the need to unify complex functions in support of national security. Internal processes must be as effective and responsive as the forces they serve.

Why “standalone AI” falls short AI works best when embedded in a process Guardrails are not a limitation—they’re an enabler Process-driven AI in action How leaders should be thinking about AI now Artificial intelligence is no longer optional in state and local government—it’s essential for meeting public expectations amid staffing shortages and budget constraints. AI is showing up across agencies and programs.

The global supply chain landscape continues to evolve at a relentless pace. Following years of pandemic-driven supply chain disruptions, the focus has shifted from survival to building long-term resilience and leveraging new technologies for competitive advantage. Drawing from a recent industry conversation, here are the key trends that will define the supply chain outlook in 2026.

Most business leaders view application rationalization like cleaning out a garage: a painful, one-time chore to throw away junk to save space. It is often viewed strictly as a subtraction game that overlooks business context. Get rid of legacy technical debt to lower application costs and IT spend. But this mindset ignores value. A better way to view your application stack is through the lens of a stock portfolio.

Organizations across industries are under immense pressure to modernize operations, manage evolving regulations, and deliver seamless customer experiences. To meet these demands, leaders often turn to process orchestration. Yet, despite heavy investment, many are left with expensive automation projects that never scale and "orchestration" programs that turn into technical debt. Why does this happen? The problem isn't usually the technology itself but how it is applied.

Let me introduce you to Jake. He’s four years old, loves puzzles, and sees the world in his own unique, beautiful way. Like one in 31 children in the US, Jake has autism. His parents are told that early intervention is crucial for him to develop the skills and behaviors he’ll need to thrive. He just needs a little help with things many of us take for granted: pointing to make a request, speaking up, asking for things, making friends.

Most enterprises today have automated hundreds of tasks across the business—but still struggle with slow, fragmented workflows. CRM handles one part, ERP another, HCM another, and teams end up working from disconnected systems and processes. It’s like conducting an orchestra where every section is playing from a different score. This is where enterprise process automation comes in.

AI agents have exploded. And we use this term intentionally. Tech vendors rushed to put out agent products that don’t stand up to enterprise use with results that were mostly underwhelming and sometimes even catastrophic. Appian took a different approach. While companies are now scrambling to validate the efficacy of their AI, Appian’s AI is field-tested, so the products you get are ready to use and safe to deploy from day one.

Procurement applications sit at the heart of government operations. These systems are prime targets for cyber attacks because they manage critical, high-value data, including: They also connect with core enterprise systems (e.g., ERP, HR, financial management), creating additional risk points. In the wrong hands, this data could allow adversaries to piece together strategic mission capabilities. In this environment, security isn’t optional—it’s foundational.