Artificial Intelligence (AI) is everywhere. Every month brings new features promising “deeper thinking” and “agentic processes.” Tech titans are locked in trillion-dollar battles. Headlines scream about business, economic, and societal concerns. Skim the news and you’re left excited and terrified!

Here’s the thing: we’re still human – virtues, flaws, quirks, and all. We’ve always had our agency, collectively shaping our future. Even now, while embracing AI, we need to keep building for us.

We Fear What We Do Not Know

“AI this… AI that…” Even tech leaders admit they don’t fully understand it. Sci-fi stories warn us with cautionary tales. News cycles fuel anxiety about job loss, disconnected human relationships, and cognitive decline.

Luckily, this round of innovation is surprisingly transparent. You can read the Attention is All You Need paper (2017) that started it all. You can even build your own AI if you want! This isn’t locked behind a walled garden. That’s a good thing.

What the Past Can Tell Us

I like to look at the past to gauge what we can expect from the future. Humans have feared every major invention and technological breakthrough. We expect the worst, but most have proven to improve life.

We’ve always had distractions from books, movies, games, to TikTok brain-rot. Some get addicted and go too deep, while others thrive. People favor entertainment and leisure activities – this is nothing new – so I don’t feel like cognitive decline is anything to worry about. Humanity has overcome all of it before and will continue to do so.

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Humans are Simple (and Complicated) Creatures

We look for simplicity and speed. Easy to understand, easy to look at, easy to interact with, easy to buy from. We skim read, we skip video segments, we miss that big red CTA button. The TL;DR culture rules. Even so, I don’t think we’re at risk of the future from Idiocracy (2006).

That’s not to say that we don’t overcomplicate things. The Gods Must Be Crazy movie (1980) has a line that resonates, “The more [we] improved [our] surroundings to make life easier, the more complicated [we] made it.” We bury our users (our customers) in detail when they just want to skim, skip, and bounce.

Building for Computers

The computer revolution (1950s-1980s) started with machines serving humans. Then came automation. And eventually, systems talking to systems.

Fast-forward to the 2010s, where marketers gamed the algorithms to win at SEO, SEM, and social networking. Content was created for computers, not humans. Now we have the dead internet theory. We were building without humans in mind.

We will still have to build for systems to talk to systems. That won’t change. APIs are more important than ever, and agentic AI relies on them. Because of this, it is crucial to make sure what you are building “plays well with others”. But AIs and APIs are tools, not the audience.

Building for Humans

Google used to tell us all to build what people want, as opposed to gaming their systems. I love that advice. However, at first it felt unrealistic…gaming the system worked. Then after many updates, for a short bit, it felt like Google was getting there! Then it got worse and feels like pay-to-play recently.

Now AI is reshaping search and everything else. You can notice the gap between search results and AI recommendations. They don’t match. AI assistants aim to please humans, which is great, until it inevitably changes.

Digital teams must build for AI ingestion, but if you neglect the human aspect and the end user experience, then you will only see short-term wins.

Examples of Building for Humans

• Make it intuitive and easy. Simple for end users means a lot of work for builders, but it is worth it! Reduce their cognitive load.
• Build with empathy. Appeal to real people, not just personas and bots. Include feedback loops so they can feel heard.
• Get to the point. Don’t overwhelm users, instead help them take action! Delight your customers by saving them time.
• Add humor when appropriate. Don’t be afraid to be funny, weird, or real…it connects on a human level.
• Consider human bias. Unlike bots and crawlers, humans aren’t always logical. Design for human biases.
• Watch your users. Focus groups or digital tracking tools are great for observing. Learn from real users and iterate.

Conclusion

Building for humans never goes out of style. Whatever comes after AI will still need to serve people. So as tech evolves, let’s keep honing systems that work with and around our human nature.

……

If you are looking for that extra human touch (built with AI), reach out to your Perficient account manager or use our contact form to begin a conversation.

We’re proud to announce that we’ve been honored with a Silver w3 Award in the Emerging Tech Features – AI Utility Integration category for our work with a top 20 U.S. utility provider. This recognition from the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts (AIVA) celebrates our commitment to delivering cutting-edge, AI-powered solutions that drive real-world impact in the energy and utilities sector.

“Winning this w3 Award speaks to our pragmatism–striking the right balance between automation capabilities and delivering true business outcomes through purposeful AI adoption,” said Mwandama Mutanuka, Managing Director of Perficient’s Intelligent Automation practice. “Our approach focuses on understanding the true cost of ownership, evaluating our clients’ existing automation tech stack, and building solutions with a strong business case to drive impactful transformation.”

Modernizing Operations with AI

The award-winning solution centered on the implementation of a ServiceNow Virtual Agent to streamline internal service desk operations for a major utility provider serving millions of homes and businesses across the United States. Faced with long wait times and a high volume of repetitive service requests, the client sought a solution that would enhance productivity, reduce costs, and improve employee satisfaction.

Our experts delivered a two-phase strategy that began with deploying an out-of-the-box virtual agent capable of handling low-complexity, high-volume requests. We then customized the solution using ServiceNow’s Conversational Interfaces module, tailoring it to the organization’s unique needs through data-driven topic recommendations and user behavior analysis. The result was an intuitive, AI-powered experience that allowed employees and contractors to self-serve common IT requests, freeing up service desk agents to focus on more complex work and significantly improving operational efficiency.

Driving Adoption Through Strategic Change Management

Adoption is the key to unlocking the full value of any technology investment. That’s why our team partnered closely with the client’s corporate communications team to launch a robust change management program. We created a branded identity for the virtual agent, developed engaging training materials, and hosted town halls to build awareness and excitement across the organization. This holistic approach ensured high engagement and a smooth rollout, setting the foundation for long-term success.

Looking Ahead

The w3 Award is a reflection of our continued dedication to innovation, collaboration, and excellence. As we look to the future, we remain committed to helping enterprises across industries harness the full power of AI to transform their operations. Explore the full success story to learn more about how we’re powering productivity with AI, and visit the w3 Awards Winners Gallery to see our recognition among the best in digital innovation.

For more information on how Perficient can help your business with integrated AI services, contact us today.

As the year wraps up, so does an incredible run of conferences spotlighting the best in Microsoft 365, Power Platform, and Copilot innovation. We’re thrilled to share that Amarender Peddamalku, Microsoft MVP and Practice Lead for Microsoft Modern Work at Perficient, will be speaking at the Microsoft 365, Power Platform & Copilot Conference in Dallas, November 3–7.

Amarender has been a featured speaker at every TechCon365, DataCon, and PWRCon event this year—and Dallas marks the final stop on this year’s tour. If you’ve missed him before, now’s your chance to catch his insights live!

With over 15 years of experience in Microsoft technologies and a deep focus on Power Platform, SharePoint, and employee experience, Amarender brings practical, hands-on expertise to every session. Here’s where you can find him in Dallas:

Workshops & Sessions

• Power Automate Bootcamp: From Basics to Brilliance
  Mon, Nov 3 | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM | Room G6
  A full-day, hands-on workshop for Power Automate beginners.

• Power Automate Multi-Stage Approval Workflows
  Tue, Nov 4 | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM | Room G2
  Wed, Nov 5 | 3:50 PM – 5:00 PM | Room G6
  Learn how to build dynamic, enterprise-ready approval workflows.

• Ask the Experts
  Wed, Nov 5 | 12:50 PM – 2:00 PM | Expo Hall
  Bring your questions and get real-time answers from Amarender and other experts.

• Build External-Facing Websites Using Power Pages
  Thu, Nov 6 | 1:00 PM – 2:10 PM | Room D
  Discover how to create secure, low-code websites with Power Pages.

• Automate Content Processing Using AI & SharePoint Premium
  Thu, Nov 6 | 4:20 PM – 5:30 PM | Room G6
  Explore how AI and SharePoint Premium (formerly Syntex) can transform content into knowledge.

Whether you’re just getting started with Power Platform or looking to scale your automation strategy, Amarender’s sessions will leave you inspired and equipped to take action.

Register now!

In any long-term enterprise AI deployment, you eventually hit a critical trade-off between model capability and operational performance. This was precisely the challenge we faced with Scarlett, Perficient ‘s internal chatbot that has been operating 24×7 for the better part of a decade. While leveraging a powerful model like GPT-5-mini provided the quality of responses we needed, the associated inference latency (peaking at nearly 20 seconds) was becoming a significant friction point for our users.

When you’re architecting a solution meant to increase productivity, a 20-second delay is more than an inconvenience; it’s a barrier to adoption. We needed a solution that could maintain response quality while drastically improving performance. This led us to test the preview of Microsoft Azure ‘s AI Foundry Model Router. Our goal was to see if this new orchestration layer could intelligently route traffic to mitigate our latency problem.

The Architectural Shift: From Single Endpoint to Intelligent Orchestration

Our previous architecture was straightforward: Scarlett’s application logic made calls directly to a provisioned Azure OpenAI gpt-5-mini endpoint. This is a standard pattern, but it means every single query, simple or complex, bears the full performance and cost overhead of that one large model.

The Model Router introduces a new abstraction layer. Instead of calling a specific model, we now direct all traffic to the Model Router’s single endpoint. Under the hood, the router analyzes the incoming prompt and routes it to the most appropriate model from a predefined pool.

The implementation was a simple change of endpoint, but the result was a fundamental shift in how our requests were processed. The data from the first few days of operation was compelling. We saw a dramatic and immediate reduction in end-user latency, from a volatile 10-20 seconds down to a stable 3-5 seconds.

This wasn’t just a marginal improvement; it was a greater than 50% reduction in average response time, which directly translates to a better user experience.

Analyzing the Routing Logic and Business Impact

Digging into the metrics, we could see the “how” behind this performance gain. Over thousands requests, the router distributed the load as follows:

• 85% of requests were routed to gpt-5-mini, confirming that most of our user queries still required a capable model.

• 15% of requests were offloaded to gpt-5-nano, a smaller and faster model, for simpler tasks that didn’t require the overhead of its larger counterpart.

This dynamic allocation is the key. By intelligently offloading 15% of the queries, the router frees up resources and reduces the overall system latency. This technical efficiency produced a tangible business outcome. We track a user satisfaction score for Scarlett, and in the days following the implementation, we saw a clear uptick in satisfaction and overall message volume. Employees were not only happier with the tool, they were using it more.

An Architect’s Perspective and Next Steps

The most significant takeaway from this test was that the primary benefit of the Model Router, in our case, was the dramatic improvement in performance, even more so than the potential for cost optimization. It effectively solved our latency problem without requiring complex, custom-built orchestration logic in our application.

However, its “black box” nature presents new questions for architects. While the results are excellent, we lack direct control or detailed documentation on the internal routing logic. Looking ahead, I am particularly interested in stress-testing its behavior with more complex scenarios, such as prompts containing very large system messages (+2,000 tokens) or those with extensive conversation histories (+10,000 tokens). Understanding how context size impacts the router’s model selection will be crucial for architecting the next generation of complex AI agents.

This implementation has proven to be a highly effective solution for a common enterprise challenge.

If you’d told me twenty years ago that I’d be working in the technology industry, I would have laughed. My background? Art, history, and social services—not exactly the usual path to tech. I still sew and do needlework, and I miss the days when you had to check an answering machine or hunt down a pay phone. Honestly, I thrived without knowing what my second cousin, three times removed, had for breakfast this morning. Sometimes, I feel like the old guy on the corner yelling, “get off my lawn!”

But life has a way of surprising us. My career took a hard left turn and landed me in the world of technology. At first, I thought, “No problem. My skills—problem solving, analysis, and communication—are still useful.” I didn’t need to dive too deep into the tech pool; basic Excel and PowerPoint were enough. Fourteen years later, I’m proof that a non-technical person can survive (and even thrive) in a technology company.

Then came 2025. Our new CEO announced that we were going to be an AI-First company. We were not only encouraged, but expected to use AI in our day-to-day work. Cue the mini panic attack. My mind raced: What part of my job could I hand over to AI? How was I supposed to figure this out?

The lowest hanging fruit was my semi-annual reports. But I actually enjoy making those! Me and my trusty adding machine (yes, I still use it) making charts and graphs, discovering trends, and recapping the year—it’s something I look forward to. I didn’t want to give that away to my computer.

But change was coming, whether I liked it or not. So, I took a deep breath and got on board. I completed every training offered and sat down with a coworker who was genuinely excited about AI. Together, we made a plan and found ways to integrate AI into my workflow. Anytime someone said, “You can use Copilot for that,” I’d ask how. Gradually, my panic eased and I started to see the possibilities.

Now, I use Copilot to summarize long technical documents in plain language, generate images for presentations, and organize meeting notes. I’m still not ready to give up my trusty adding machine or hand over my reports, but I’m finding other ways to use these tools to make my life easier.

Most people see AI as something that gives them more time in their day. I used to think it would take away the parts of my job I enjoyed. Turns out, I was mistaken. If you’re like me—afraid of adopting new technology and unsure how it can help—take a deep breath and start small. Try it out and see if it really does save you time. And if you haven’t asked Copilot to rewrite an email as if it were from a pirate yet, you’re missing out! Not every use case works for everyone, but everyone can find a use case.

So here’s my advice:
You don’t have to be an expert to benefit from AI. Start with one small task, ask questions, and let curiosity lead the way. You might be surprised at how much easier your work becomes—and you might even have a little fun along the way.

PS… I was able to use this post as a learning opportunity.  I asked Copilot to review my article and make suggestions – most of which made the final draft.  Another small step.

We’re thrilled to announce that Perficient is a proud sponsor of Sitecore Symposium 2025, the premier event for digital experience leaders, marketers, and technologists. This year’s event takes place November 3-5 at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort in Orlando, FL. It promises to be a dynamic gathering of thought leaders and innovators, and Perficient is bringing a strong presence with four featured sessions that showcase our expertise in experience design, strategy, digital marketing, and analytics to create end-to-end solutions that deliver exceptional results.

As you’re mapping out your agenda, make sure to schedule some time to stop by our booth to meet our team of Sitecore MVPs, strategists, and technologists and catch a live demo of Sitecore’s products and our AI acceleration tools. Curious about the Sitecore and Gradial partnership and how you can benefit from agentic marketing? Our team would be thrilled to discuss our thoughts on what this can mean for your organization.

What We’re Talking About and When

We’re excited to take the stage with both Encompass Health and Evergy this year! If you’re looking to harness the power of customer data, design more inclusive experiences, or lead through change, our sessions offer something for everyone.

Back by popular demand, the first ever Women in Digital event that Perficient proudly co-sponsored with Sitecore last year is quickly becoming a “must attend” event on the conference schedule. This year’s theme is Leading Through Change and once again, Perficient’s own Megan Jensen will moderate a panel of inspiring women to dive into this topic.

Women and allies alike are welcome to experience this unique opportunity to hear from remarkable women, network with peers, and enjoy breakfast. Register early to reserve your spot. We look forward to seeing you there!

Women in Digital: Leading Through Change

In a landscape reshaped by AI, rerouted customer journeys, and the collapse of traditional content-to-commerce paths, leadership demands agility, empathy, and vision. This intimate breakfast panel brings together trailblazing women from across the digital ecosystem to explore how they’re navigating transformation—scaling trust, driving innovation, and fostering inclusion in real time. Join us for a candid conversation on what it means to lead now, what’s next, and how we build the future together.

What’s Your Data Doing for You? Learn How to Harness the Power of Your Data With Sitecore CDP

Your company possesses valuable customer data, but are you using it strategically? Join Perficient’s Eric Sanner, solutions architect and 2x Sitecore MVP, along with a marketing leader from Midwest utility company Evergy, to discuss how the company utilizes Sitecore CDP to combine data from multiple sources into one flexible, powerful, easy-to-use platform. Learn how to breathe new life into marketing strategies by creating sophisticated segmentation that targets high-value customers. See how CDP and Personalize can give marketers autonomy while reducing costs.

Designing Inclusive Experiences for Everyone: Build a Better Journey Map on Sitecore

Explore common disability tropes and stereotypes, the intersection of accessibility and representation, and the importance of showing diversity in advertising, marketing, and media. In this session, you’ll learn about UX challenges for disabled users, brainstorm improvements, and collaboratively design a user journey that addresses the needs of a disabled persona. These insights will help shape your understanding of the Sitecore products and platforms that enable inclusive experiences.

Unveiling Encompass Health’s Digital Transformation: A Panel on Lessons Learned With a Bit of SaaS

Join Perficient’s Stephen Tynes, national Sitecore sales advisor, and Mark Ursino, Sitecore principal, as they team up with marketing leaders from Encompass Health to share the organization’s digital transformation journey. Learn how the organization approached patient and caretaker research, fostered internal collaboration, and managed change with IT to drive success. We’ll address the challenges encountered, the outcomes achieved, and touch upon key topics such as the Sitecore roadmap and strategy to move from on-prem XP to SaaS XM Cloud.

A Sitecore Platinum Partner, Ready to Support You

Perficient is a global AI-first consultancy helping clients move faster, engage smarter, and connect deeper with customers. We’re a Sitecore 2024 Practice Excellence Award – Global winner with specialties in XM Cloud, CDP/Personalize, OrderCloud, Content Hub, and XP.

We’ll be on-site throughout the event to connect, collaborate, and share how we’re helping organizations unlock the full potential of Sitecore. Whether you’re exploring a move to XM Cloud, looking to optimize your personalization strategy, or simply want to chat about the future of digital experience, we’re here to help you make the most of your Symposium experience.

Perficient is proud to be included in the IDC ServiceScape: Worldwide and U.S. Microsoft Power Apps Low-Code/No-Code Custom Application Development Services, 2025 (Doc# US53748825 September 2025) report. We believe this inclusion highlights our commitment to helping enterprises accelerate innovation and streamline development through Microsoft Power Platform.

This IDC ServiceScape offers a comprehensive guide on the key capabilities of custom application development service providers using the Microsoft Power Apps low-code/no-code development platform, featuring services from companies including Perficient. The status of each service capability is categorized as fully supported, partially supported, partner provided, road map, or not supported, aiding services buyers in quickly identifying which vendors align with their changing requirements.

Powering Innovation with Microsoft Power Platform

As digital transformation accelerates, low-code/no-code platforms are becoming essential tools for agility and innovation. Perficient is proud to be included in this evolving landscape and remains committed to delivering solutions that drive real business outcomes.

“Our approach to Power Platform is rooted in strategy, scale, and speed. We’re not just building apps—we’re enabling transformation. By combining governance frameworks, multi-shore delivery, and AI-powered experiences, we help clients unlock the full potential of low-code development and drive meaningful business outcomes.” – Eric Schmitt, Director of Microsoft Business Applications.

Perficient offers a comprehensive suite of low-code/no-code services designed to accelerate transformation:

• App modernization programs to migrate legacy systems to Power Platform
• Intelligent automation and rapid RPA migration (e.g., UiPath to Power Automate Desktop)
• Custom Copilot envisioning workshops and enterprise app development
• Governance engagements including CoE setup and citizen developer enablement
• Process mining and lifecycle management
• Multi-shore delivery models with agile development pods and managed services

We’re also increasing investment in Copilot Studio Agents, helping clients build custom functionality and deploy agents within Power Platform environments. Our governance frameworks ensure scalable, secure adoption—whether you’re enabling citizen developers or launching enterprise-wide automation programs.

Learn more about our Power Platform capabilities: Power Platform / Perficient

Perficient is a global digital consultancy with over 7,000 colleagues worldwide, operating as one unified team across North America, LATAM, and India. With deep expertise in industries like Healthcare & Life Sciences, Manufacturing, and Automotive, we deliver strategic technology solutions that drive measurable outcomes. Our Microsoft practice is backed by more than 25 years of experience and over 250 certified cloud consultants, with strong capabilities in Azure, M365, Dynamics CRM, and Power Platform.

Perficient differentiates through global delivery, scalability, and robust governance. With 95% of our business coming from repeat clients, we’re proud to be a trusted partner in building AI-first, low-code solutions that deliver real business value.

Ready to move from ambition to impact? Let’s define your low-code strategy and build the foundation to lead what’s next.

As a global AI-first consultancy, we’re driving meaningful results through AI-powered innovation and digital transformation, creating lasting impact for businesses and their customers. Our thought leaders actively engage with top global analyst firms, including Forrester, IDC, and more. These partnerships not only validate our capabilities but also amplify the impact we deliver to our clients every day. So far, we’ve secured 35 analyst report inclusions in 2025. 

Perficient Named a Major Player in IDC MarketScape for Software-Defined Vehicles 

Perficient was named a Major Player in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide IT Professional Services for Software Defined Vehicles 2025 Vendor Assessment (doc# US51813124, September 2025). The IDC MarketScape evaluated software defined vehicles (SDV) professional service providers, creating a framework to compare vendors’ capabilities and strategies. 

“We’re proud of our long-term partnerships with clients that have led to continuous improvements and innovations in the automotive ecosystem. Whether we’re powering subscription-based monetization, unlocking predictive insights, or creating more connected and personalized customer experiences, Perficient is helping drive what’s next in mobility.” 

Justin Huckins, director of digital strategy and automotive industry lead, Perficient

According to IDC, Perficient “excels in its off-board SDV capabilities with advanced data analysis platforms supporting multiple automotive use cases and guides OEMS through strategic tools like the Envision framework and maintains strong partnerships with top-tier tech and automotive players. Customers appreciate its marketing campaigns and messaging around automotive offerings” 

Read More: Perficient Named a Major Player in IDC MarketScape for Worldwide IT and Engineering Services for Software-Defined Vehicles

Perficient’s Continued Inclusion in IDC Market Glances 

For the third year in a row, Perficient has been included in the category of IT Services Providers in the IDC Market Glance: Customer Experience Services, 2Q25 report (doc #US52469525, June 2025). According to IDC, “Agentic AI and GenAI are working their way into marketing and sales technologies and services, beginning with a pragmatic focus on automating, improving and scaling existing business processes and offerings. New AI-based business models have yet to emerge, but AI is already putting existing CX services under pressure to change.” 

Two additional IDC Market Glance reports were both healthcare-focused: IDC Market Glance: Payer, 1Q25 (doc# US53200825, March 2025) and IDC Market Glance: Healthcare Provider Operational IT Solutions, 1Q25 (doc# US52221325, March 2025.)  

In the IDC Market Glance: Healthcare Provider Operational IT Solutions report, Perficient is included in the newly introduced categories of IT Services and SI Services. We believe our inclusion underscores our expertise in leveraging AI-driven automation and advanced analytics, optimizing technology investments, and navigating evolving industry challenges. 

Highlighted in Forrester Landscapes 

Perficient has been recognized in Forrester’s report, The Connected Product Engineering Services Landscape, Q2 2025. Our clients rely on us not only for engineering and implementation, but also for the high-value strategic work that drives connected product success. 

Explore More: Build a Powerful Connected Products Strategy

Perficient was included in The Digital Transformation Landscape, Q2 2025. In this landscape, Perficient is recognized as a large-sized consultancy with an industry focus on financial services, healthcare, and industrial products, with a geographical presence in North America, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America.  

Perficient was also included in The AI Technical Services Landscape, Q2 2025. Forrester defines AI Technical Services as: “The delivery capability of repeatable and scalable AI solutions, encompassing AI and data infrastructure, governance, training, and innovation.” We help clients harness the power of AI to solve complex business challenges and create meaningful transformation. 

Perficient Insights Contributed to Forrester Research 

Perficient’s work with a leading automotive manufacturer’s GenAI virtual assistant was included in Forrester’s report titled Design GenAI-Powered Experiences Responsibly. At the Forrester CX Summit North America in 2024, the author of this report, Principal Analyst Gina Bhawalkar, presented Perficient’s work with this automaker during her session. 

Perficient was interviewed by Forrester for their report titled The Future of Commerce (US). Perficient’s commitment to innovation and ability to deliver high-impact solutions positions us to meet the growing demand for AI-driven, intelligent commerce in an ever-evolving landscape. Our experts were also interviewed for the Forrester report, The Impact of AI on Digital Experience Platforms. We believe our inclusion in the research for this report reflects our expertise in helping enterprise clients implement and optimize DXPs through AI-powered transformation.

“AI is redefining what’s possible in digital experience. The convergence of agentic and Generative AI is empowering brands to create more human, adaptive, and intelligent interactions at scale.”

Mark Polly, principal of customer experience platforms, Perficient.

 

Perficient Director Priyal Patel is quoted in Forrester’s report, Becoming An Intelligent Healthcare Organization Is An Attainable Goal, Not A Lost Cause. “Today’s decisions should be guided by long-term thinking, envisioning your organization’s business needs five to 10 years into the future,” says Priyal, emphasizing the importance of a shared strategic vision. 

Deepening Analyst Relationships to Amplify Perficient’s Impact

Perficient continues to gain recognition from leading analyst firms like Forrester and IDC, reinforcing our global presence and growing influence in AI and emerging technologies. Visit our Analyst Coverage page to explore additional mentions and stay informed on how we’re shaping the future of technology. 

We are proud to share that Perficient has been recognized among notable providers in The Commerce Services Landscape, Q3 2025, Forrester’s authoritative overview of 40 global providers authored by Principal Analyst Chuck Gahun. We believe this recognition highlights Perficient’s role as a systems integrator driving innovation across the commerce ecosystem.

Why This Recognition Matters

We believe Forrester’s inclusion reflects more than market presence. To us, it signals our strategic alignment with the future of enterprise commerce. As organizations shift from legacy platforms to intelligent AI-first ecosystems, Perficient is helping clients reimagine how value is created, sustained, and scaled.

Forrester asked each provider included in the Landscape to select the top business scenarios for which clients select them and from there determined which are the extended business scenarios that highlight differentiation among the providers. Perficient is shown in the report for having selected B2B2B commerce, B2B2C commerce, and Extended Reality and Augmented Reality Commerce as the top reasons clients work with us out of those extended use cases. Notably, Perficient was only one of three providers included in the Landscape to have selected Extended Reality and Augmented Reality Commerce. We believe this is a differentiator for us.

We were also listed with a focus on three industries:

• Manufacturing and production of consumer products
• Manufacturing and production of industrial products
• Retail

What This Means for Perficient and Our Clients

Several themes have emerged from within the commerce landscape that Perficient is poised to take by storm, especially as it relates to taking an AI-first approach to client’s challenges and goals.

AI-First Differentiation: There is a need for providers to move beyond buzzwords and clearly define what AI-first means. Perficient’s focus on operationalizing AI through proprietary intellectual property and composable architectures positions us to lead this shift.

Vertical-Specific Solutions: It is important to tailor AI offerings by industry. Our deep expertise and work across several industry verticals, notably commerce work for manufacturing and retail clients, reflects this strategic direction with solutions that drive real outcomes in product discovery, engagement, and experience.

A New Lens on Customer Journeys: Intelligent commerce is transforming the customer experience from AI-integrated search to immersive product journeys, and Perficient is building the infrastructure for what comes next.

Outcome-Based Engagements: As clients demand measurable impact, our ability to structure engagements around business outcomes powered by AI-driven insights sets us apart.

Embrace the New Era of AI-First Commerce

We believe Perficient’s inclusion in the Forrester landscape is more than recognition. For us, it is a signal to enterprise leaders that we are ready to help them transform legacy systems into intelligent platforms, activate AI across the full commerce lifecycle, and deliver personalized immersive experiences that drive growth.

Whether you are navigating B2B complexity, scaling retail innovation, or exploring extended reality commerce, Perficient is the partner to help you lead with confidence.

Ready to build what comes next in commerce? Let’s talk about how AI-first transformation can reshape your business.

Forrester does not endorse any company, product, brand, or service included in its research publications and does not advise any person to select the products or services of any company or brand based on the ratings included in such publications. Information is based on the best available resources. Opinions reflect judgment at the time and are subject to change. For more information, read about Forrester’s objectivity 

Well, that was a lot to unpack. The Apple event today, announcing iOS 26 and the iPhone 17, truly lived up to the “Awe Dropping” invitation, and not just because of the new iPhone 17 Air’s ridiculously thin design. While the new 24MP selfie camera, the upgraded 48MP Telephoto lens on the Pro models, and the “Liquid Glass” UI are certainly head-turners, the real narrative is about something far more fundamental.

This event wasn’t just about a new phone; it was about the official start of a new mobile era. Apple is openly acknowledging that the old paradigm—the one where we’re constantly chasing down apps and fighting off a barrage of distracting push notifications—is finally being put to rest. And honestly, it’s about time. Our digital lives have become a frantic game of Whack-A-Mole, tapping icons and dismissing alerts just to get a single task done.

What we saw today with iOS 26 isn’t a simple evolution; it’s a profound re-architecture of how the mobile operating system works, and it’s a brilliant example of creative technology in action. It’s built on an anticipatory design model, where the system itself becomes a proactive companion, anticipating what we need before we even ask. The new on-device “Visual Intelligence” that lets you interact with anything on your screen is a perfect metaphor for this shift—it’s less about launching a specific app and more about the device just knowing what to do.

This all hinges on the unique convergence of four foundational pillars that Apple has been building for years:

1. On-device AI: The new A19 Pro chip with its beefed-up Neural Engine isn’t just for faster processing; it’s the engine for this new, context-aware intelligence. All that real-time analysis of your data happens on the device, keeping your personal information private and secure, which is a key differentiator in today’s privacy-conscious landscape.
2. Conversational UIs: The deeper integration of natural language requests means we’re moving toward a system where we can simply ask our phone to perform complex, multi-step tasks across different apps, all while the system seamlessly orchestrates the workflow.
3. App Abstraction: This is the big one. We’re seeing the dissolution of the app as a silo. Instead, apps are becoming a collection of “components” or “intelligent actions” that can be called upon system-wide. The ability for the new “Live Translation” feature to pull data from Messages and the Phone app is a clear sign that this new framework is here to stay.
4. Security and Privacy: The announcement last year of the new “Private Cloud Compute” isn’t just a feature; it’s a strategic pillar. It shows that Apple is doubling down on its privacy-first ethos, demonstrating that powerful AI can be delivered without sacrificing the trust of its users.

The competitive landscape is shifting in a fundamental way. It’s no longer about which company can create a single, all-encompassing super-app. The new battleground is how well a business can integrate its functionality and value into this ambient, proactive mobile experience. The winners will be those who can transition from a transactional “app” model to a service-based “companion” model—providing continuous, frictionless value that makes our lives easier, not more cluttered. The companies that will win are proactively establishing/defining the capabilities and data required to deliver these seamless mobile experiences. When the game changes on the front-end, the back end needs to pivot.

The iPhone 17 and iOS 26 aren’t just incremental updates. They represent a significant turning point in the industry. It’s a move from a mobile world we have to consciously navigate to one that feels more like a seamless extension of ourselves. And for those of us in the business of creative digital engagement, that’s the most exciting and awe-dropping announcement of all.

Drupal 11’s AI Features: What They Actually Mean for Your Team

If you’ve been following the Drupal community lately, you’ve probably heard about the excitement with AI in Drupal 11 and the new Drupal AI Initiative. With over $100,000 in funding and 290+ AI modules already available, this will be a game changer.

But here’s the thing, AI in Drupal isn’t about replacing your team. It’s about making everyone more effective at what they already do best. Let’s talk through some of these new capabilities and what they mean for different teams in your organization.

Content Teams: Finally, An Assistant That Actually Helps

Creating quality content quickly has always been a challenge, but Drupal 11’s AI features tackle this head-on. The AI CKEditor integration gives content creators real-time assistance right in the editing interface, things like spelling corrections, translations, and contextual suggestions as you type.

The AI Content module is where things get interesting. It can automatically adjust your content’s tone for different audiences, summarize long content, and even suggest relevant taxonomy terms. For marketing teams juggling multiple campaigns, this means maintaining brand consistency without the usual back-and-forth reviews.

One feature that’s already saving teams hours is the AI Image Alt Text module. Instead of manually writing alt text for accessibility compliance, it generates descriptions automatically. The AI Translate feature is another game-changer for organizations with global reach—one-click multilingual content creation that actually understands context.

The bottom line? Your content team can focus on strategy and creativity instead of getting bogged down in routine tasks.

Developers: Natural Language Site Building

Here’s where Drupal 11 gets really exciting for a dev team. The AI Agents module introduces something we haven’t seen before, text-to-action capabilities. Developers can now modify Drupal configurations, create content types, and manage taxonomies just by describing what they need in spoken english.

Instead of clicking through admin interfaces, you can literally tell Drupal what you want, “Create a content type for product reviews with fields for rating, pros, cons, and reviewer information.” The system understands and executes these commands.

The AI module ecosystem supports over 21 major providers, OpenAI, Claude, AWS Bedrock, Google Vertex, and more. This means you’re not locked into any single AI provider and can choose the best model for specific tasks. The AI Explorer gives you a testing ground to experiment with prompts before pushing anything live.

For complex workflows, AI Automators let you chain multiple AI systems together. Think automated content transformation, field population, and business logic handling with minimal custom code.

The other great aspect of Drupal AI, is the open source backbone of Drupal, allows you to extend, add and build upon these agents in any way your dev team sees fit.

Marketing Teams: Data-Driven Campaign Planning

Marketing teams might be the biggest winners here. The AI Content Strategy module analyzes your existing content and provides recommendations for what to create next based on actual data, not guesswork. It identifies gaps in your content strategy and suggests targeted content based on audience behavior and industry trends.

The AI Search functionality means visitors can find content quickly, no more keyword guessing games. The integrated chatbot framework provides intelligent customer service that can access your site’s content to give accurate responses.

For SEO, the AI SEO module generates reports with user recommendations, reviewing content and metadata automatically. This reduces the need for separate SEO tools while giving insights right where you can act on them.

Why This Matters Right Now

The Drupal AI Initiative represents something more than just new features. With dedicated teams from leading agencies and serious funding behind it, this is Drupal positioning itself as the go-to platform for AI-powered content management.

For IT executives evaluating CMS options, Drupal 11’s approach is a great fit. You maintain complete control over your data and AI interactions while getting enterprise-grade governance with approval workflows and audit trails. It’s AI augmentation rather than AI replacement.

The practical benefits are clear: faster campaign launches, consistent brand voice across all content, and teams freed from manual tasks to focus on strategic work. In today’s competitive landscape, that kind of operational efficiency can make the difference between leading your market and playing catch-up.

The Reality Check

We all know, no technology is perfect. The success of these AI features, especially within the open source community, depends heavily on implementation and team adoption. You’ll need to spend time in training and process development to see real benefits. Like any new technology, there will be a learning curve as your team figures out the best ways to leverage these new features.

Based on what we are seeing within groups that have done early adoption of the AI features, they are seeing a good ROI on improvement of team efficiency, marketing time as well as reduced SEO churn.

If you’re considering how Drupal 11’s AI features might fit your organization, it’s worth having a conversation with an experienced implementation partner like Perficient. We can help you navigate the options and develop an AI strategy that makes sense for your specific situation.

Perficient has officially announced a groundbreaking partnership with WRITER, the leader in agentic AI for the enterprise. This 360-degree collaboration marks a pivotal moment in our AI-first journey, combining WRITER’s powerful end-to-end agent platform with Perficient’s deep consulting expertise to deliver scalable, secure, and transformative AI solutions to the Global 2000. 

To explore the significance of this partnership, I sat down with Bill Davis, Perficient’s Senior Vice President and Head of Partners and Ecosystem, to discuss what this means for our clients, our colleagues, and the future of enterprise AI. 

Connor Stieferman: Bill, what makes this partnership with WRITER so significant for Perficient and the broader market? 

Bill Davis: This partnership represents a major milestone not just for Perficient and WRITER, but for the enterprise AI landscape as a whole. WRITER is gaining serious momentum in the market, and their agentic AI platform is redefining how organizations think about productivity, automation, and intelligence at scale. By combining WRITER’s cutting-edge technology with Perficient’s deep industry expertise and global implementation capabilities, we’re creating a force multiplier for enterprise transformation. Together, we’re enabling organizations to move beyond isolated AI experiments and into scalable, secure, and measurable deployments.  

To put it simply, this partnership sets a new standard for how AI can be adopted and operationalized across industries. 

Connor: What makes Perficient a strong partner for a company like WRITER? 

Bill: WRITER is leading the way in agentic AI, and companies at that level need partners who can match their pace and deliver enterprise-grade execution. Perficient brings deep industry expertise, a global delivery model, and a strong track record of helping large organizations adopt emerging technologies at scale. We understand how to translate innovation into business outcomes with speed and precision. We also add a critical strategic layer, helping clients identify where agentic AI can drive the most value, designing tailored solutions, and ensuring successful adoption. By jointly going to market with WRITER, we’re co-developing best-in-class, industry-specific agentic solutions that deliver real outcomes for enterprise customers.  

Connor: How does this partnership reflect Perficient’s AI-first strategy? 

Bill: Our AI-first strategy is about embedding intelligence into everything we do — from internal operations to client solutions. By broadly deploying WRITER agents across our own enterprise, we’re demonstrating a top-down and bottom-up commitment to transformation. We’re not just advising clients on AI; we’re living it. This partnership allows us to build and deploy custom agents that automate our own workflows, generate contextual content, and deliver insights, showcasing what’s possible when AI is fully integrated into a business. 

Connor: What’s the significance of WRITER being Perficient’s first 360-degree partner? 

Bill: It’s a testament to the depth of our collaboration. Our relationship extends well beyond jointly going to market together. Each organization is deeply committed to the other’s success. The alignment extends across our executive, sales, marketing, and technology teams and reflects the strength of our shared vision. This level of partnership is rare — and it positions us to lead the market in agentic AI adoption. 

Connor: What kind of value can clients expect from this collaboration? 

Bill: Clients will see accelerated time-to-value through rapid deployment of tailored AI agents. They’ll benefit from embedded intelligence that integrates seamlessly with their existing systems, along with strategic guidance from our AI experts to ensure adoption and ROI. Plus, WRITER’s platform offers enterprise-grade security and governance, which is critical for large-scale deployments. Together, we’re helping clients cut through the noise and focus on fast, secure outcomes. 

Connor: What excites you most about what’s ahead? 

Bill: Honestly, it’s the opportunity to help our clients become agent builders themselves. We’re not just delivering tools — we’re enabling transformation. And we’re doing it alongside the exceptional team at WRITER. They’re agile, collaborative, and deeply committed to moving fast and getting things done right. Partnerships work best when both sides are aligned, and WRITER brings the same obsession over client outcomes that we value at Perficient. Together, we’re empowering organizations to reinvent how they work, innovate, and grow. The future of enterprise AI is agentic, and Perficient and WRITER are at the forefront of making that future real. 

Final Thoughts 

Perficient’s partnership with WRITER is a bold step forward in our mission to transform enterprises through AI. By combining cutting-edge technology with deep consulting expertise, we’re helping clients unlock the full potential of agentic AI. 

Stay tuned for more updates as we roll out new solutions, launch innovation labs, and continue to lead the way in enterprise AI transformation.