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The Critic's Corner Podcast: The Front Line of AI, Agents, and the Future of CX with Dan O’Connell

matt-garrepy

<h4 id="-"> </h4><h4 id="listen-to-the-full-episode-of-“the-critic’s-corner”-podcast-&gt;-"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://tinyurl.com/334p4ykt"><span style="color:rgb(52,130,198)"><i><strong>Listen to the full episode of “The Critic’s Corner” Podcast &gt;</strong></i></span><span style="color:rgb(48,49,61)"><strong> </strong></span></a></h4><p> </p><hr /><p><span style="color:rgb(48,49,61)"> </span></p><p>AI is now an intrinsic part of content operations, and teams are harnessing it at every level. AI agents are performing tasks across the content supply chain, and executives want more automation everywhere. Meanwhile, regulation and compliance are reshuffling the deck, putting risk front and center.</p><p>In this new landscape, have the foundations of content really changed – or are they simply more exposed?</p><p>On this episode of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cms-critic-the-critics-corner-podcast/id1801794414"><i>The Critic’s Corner </i>podcast,</a> CMS Critic’s lead analyst and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/critics/matt-garrepy">Chief Critic Matt Garrepy</a> talks with <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/critics/mike-spenceley">Mike Spenceley</a>, a veteran of enterprise knowledge management and content operations at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.pwc.com/us/en.html">PwC</a>, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.jnj.com/">Johnson &amp; Johnson</a>, and other global, compliance‑heavy enterprises. Mike brings a rare blend of creative and operational perspective – from growing up as a drummer in a deeply musical family to leading large content programs in high‑stakes environments.</p><p>Matt and Mike trace his journey from economics and finance into knowledge management just as big firms were standing up centralized functions. They unpack the familiar, persistent content cycle he’s seen for nearly two decades (<i>centralizing, decentralizing and sprawling, then wrestling it back under control)</i> and how AI could be the catalyst that makes content king again.</p><h3 id="the-human-factor-and-why-relationships-still-matter">The human factor and why relationships still matter</h3><p>Throughout the podcast episode, Mike argues that the foundations of content and content operations haven't changed. Institutions still want clear governance, defined ownership, and a strategy that solves real business problems. As he puts it, even as AI accelerates and tooling gets more sophisticated, the basics are non‑negotiable.</p><p>“I think the important thing in this space is that the fundamentals don't go away," Mike says. "As the technology evolves and gets better, and we introduce AI to help support some of this work, the fundamentals are still there. Governance. Content ownership. You need subject matter experts from the business who have the knowledge to really contribute the content, review it periodically, and make sure it's accurate and up to date. They really play an active role in that whole process.”</p><p>That human factor is just as critical on the change‑management side. Mike points out that content teams often know what “good” looks like, but can’t assume stakeholders will simply fall in line. Tools and workflows only go so far without relationships, storytelling, and a clear vision for why things must change. </p><p>Content operations leaders, he argues, also have to be “relationship‑driven,” meeting business partners where they are and bringing them along on a journey rather than dictating new rules from the center.</p><p> </p><figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://youtu.be/UjYwXY2VXBc"><div style="position:relative;padding-bottom:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:56.2493%"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UjYwXY2VXBc" style="position:absolute;width:100%;height:100%;top:0;left:0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></figure><p> </p><p>Drawing on nearly two decades in content strategy, Mike advocates for treating content more like<strong> </strong>structured data than just finished pages – providing a record that holds global rules and local nuance for delivering tailored experiences across websites, portals, search, and AI interfaces. Instead of rewriting similar information for every channel and audience, he frames a model where a single record becomes the source of truth, and technology handles how it’s assembled and rendered for different contexts.</p><p>That philosophy leads directly to one of Mike’s favorite concepts: <i>MVP content.</i> Rather than starting with everything and trying to cover all the edge cases, he suggests flipping the approach and beginning with the smallest possible set of “minimum viable” content that actually solves a problem.</p><p>“I've always had this idea that you should start with what I call MVP content," he says. "What is the bare minimum amount of content you need to solve this problem? And if that doesn't solve it, you can always add more later.”</p><p>In large enterprises, that mindset becomes a survival skill. It reduces the volume that needs to be governed, lowers the maintenance burden on subject matter experts, and helps teams avoid the trap of sprawling FAQs and knowledge bases that no one can realistically keep current – especially when regulation and compliance are part of the equation.</p><h3 id="how-ai-is-making-content-king-again">How AI is making content king again</h3><p>From there, the conversation shifts squarely into AI. Mike and Matt examine the impact through three lenses: using AI to support the content lifecycle itself, making content readable and consumable by AI and answer engines, and governing the content that actually trains and powers generative chatbots and agentic experiences. In Mike’s view, this is where AI is putting the crown back on content in a very real, enterprise‑grade sense.</p><p>“I've spoken and written about this concept of how AI is making content king again," Mike explains. “For those of us working in large enterprises, we've all known for years and years that there's just a lot of garbage content out there.”</p><p>That “garbage” was always a problem, but in a search‑and‑browse world, the damage could be partially contained. Now, as organizations plug AI into those same intranets, portals, and policy libraries, the weaknesses are amplified. Slightly conflicting versions of a policy, audience‑specific nuances that aren’t labeled, or outdated documents that never got retired can all lead to risky or downright wrong answers when an AI becomes the interface.</p><p>Finally, Mike and Matt dive into AI in 2026 and where it's helping to make content king again by supporting the entire lifecycle. They discuss the importance of rendering content readable for the new audience of answer engines, and governing the content that powers generative chatbots and agentic experiences. They also thread the needle with <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://review.content-science.com/what-is-answer-engine-optimization-aeo/">AEO (Answer Engine Optimization),</a> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/mx-to-the-max-tom-cranstouns-new-book-decodes-machine-experience-for-humans-and-agents">MX (Machine Experience),</a> corporate risk, and why relationships still matter more than any tool.</p><p>If you’re responsible for knowledge management, content operations, CMS strategy, or AI‑driven experiences, this episode is a practical guide to which fundamentals you can’t outsource to AI – and how these new automated technologies might be putting the crown back on content.</p><h3 id="articles-by-mike-on-cms-critic:">Articles by Mike on CMS Critic:</h3><ul><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/the-roi-trap-why-ai-needs-more-than-individual-productivity-gains"><strong>The ROI Trap: Why AI Needs More Than Individual Productivity Gains</strong></a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/an-operating-model-to-optimize-content-operations-and-probably-lots-of-other-stuff"><strong>An Operating Model to Optimize Content Operations (and Probably Lots of Other Stuff)</strong></a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/generative-ai-is-making-content-king-again"><strong>Generative AI is Making Content King Again</strong></a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/the-pressure-is-on-tips-for-content-teams-during-challenging-times"><strong>The Pressure is on: Tips for Content Teams During Challenging Times</strong></a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/what-it-takes-to-build-a-high-performing-content-team"><strong>What It Takes to Build a High-Performing Content Team</strong></a></li></ul><h3 id="“the-critic’s-corner”-podcast-with-mike-spenceley">“The Critic’s Corner” Podcast with Mike Spenceley</h3><p><span style="color:#30313D"> </span></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-ai-is-making-content-king-again-with-mike-spenceley/id1801794414?i=1000783928633"><span class="text-big"><strong>Listen to the full episode &gt;</strong></span></a></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cms-critic-the-critics-corner-podcast/id1801794414"><span class="text-big"><strong>Subscribe on Apple Podcasts &gt;</strong></span></a></p><p> </p><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:69.05%"><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-ai-is-making-content-king-again-with-mike-spenceley/id1801794414?i=1000783928633" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/08/critics-corner-apple-podcast-mike-spenceley.jpg" /></a></figure><p> </p><hr /><h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3><p> </p><p><img style="width:36.69%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/01/open-source-cms-26.jpg" /></p><h4 id="open-source-cms-26"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/opensourcecms26">Open Source CMS 26</a></h4><p><strong>October 20–21, 2026 – Utrecht, Netherlands</strong></p><p>Join us for the first annual edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to making open source CMS better. This event is already being called the “missing gathering place” for the open source CMS community – an international conference with confirmed participants from Europe and North America. Be part of a friendly mix of digital leaders from notable open source CMS projects, agencies, even a few industry analysts who get together to learn, network, and talk about what really matters when it comes to creating better open source CMS projects right now and for the foreseeable future. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/opensourcecms26/tickets">Book your tickets today.</a></p><p> </p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.storyblok.com/joyconf"><img style="width:34.57%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/07/joyconf-2026-logo.png" /></a></p><h4 id="storyblok-joyconf-2026"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.storyblok.com/joyconf">Storyblok JoyConf 2026</a></h4><p><strong>October 28 - 29, Rheingoldhalle, Mainz (Frankfurt)</strong></p><p>JoyConf 2026 is where developers, marketers, and digital innovators come together from all around the world, united by one powerful idea: great content isn’t built by tools alone – it’s built by people who rely on systems to deliver their best work to the world. In an era where technology is increasingly shaped by AI, Content Confidence becomes your competitive advantage. When you can create, manage, and scale content that performs seamlessly across channels, platforms, and AI, you don’t just keep up – you win. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.storyblok.com/joyconf">Book your seats today.</a></p><p> </p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://symposium.sitecore.com/"><img style="width:36.36%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/07/sitecore-symposium-2026.png" /></a></p><h4 id="sitecore-symposium-2026"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://symposium.sitecore.com/">Sitecore Symposium 2026</a></h4><p><strong>November 10 - 12, Orlando, Florida</strong></p><p>Welcome to “Marketing Rewired” at Sitecore Symposium 2026! Sitecore's annual flagship global conference brings together customers, partners, developers, marketers, and digital experience leaders to explore the latest innovations in digital experience, content management, AI, personalization, and customer engagement. This year's event features keynote presentations from Sitecore executives and industry experts, product announcements, hands-on learning, technical sessions, customer success stories, and networking opportunities focused on helping organizations build more intelligent, connected, and AI-powered digital experiences. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://symposium.sitecore.com/">Book your seats today.</a></p>

The Critic's Corner Podcast: Mike Spenceley Brings a Creative Eye to AI and Its Impact on Content Operations

cms-critic-staff

<h4 id="-"> </h4><h4 id="listen-to-the-full-episode-of-“the-critic’s-corner”-podcast-&gt;-"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://tinyurl.com/5ymyfwav"><span style="color:#3482C6"><i><strong>Listen to the full episode of “The Critic’s Corner” Podcast &gt;</strong></i></span><span style="color:#30313D"><strong> </strong></span></a></h4><p> </p><hr /><p><span style="color:#30313D"> </span></p><p>The web and the tools that power it are in the middle of a major reset. DXPs have evolved from monolithic suites to composable ecosystems and now into AI-driven systems and "Agentic Experience Platforms." </p><p>So what actually counts as a DXP in 2026? And how should digital teams evaluate these platforms in an AI‑first world?</p><p>On this episode of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://tinyurl.com/5ymyfwav">"The Critic’s Corner" podcast,</a> CMS Critic’s lead analyst and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/critics/matt-garrepy">Chief Critic Matt Garrepy</a> sits down with <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/critics/dan-drapeau">Dan Drapeau,</a> founder of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://dxpcatalyst.com/">DXP Catalyst</a> – an independent, vendor-neutral consultancy that advises on the selection and buildout of DXP and martech ecosystems. Together, they unpack what a modern DXP really is and what it’s becoming. </p><p>From assessment to roadmap to implementation, Dan has spent his career in the trenches with leading CMS and DXP vendors like <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/adobe-experience-manager">Adobe</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/sitecore">Sitecore</a>, as well as open souce projects like <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/drupal">Drupal</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/wordpress">WordPress</a>. Throughout his digital journey, Dan has helped enterprises select, deploy, and modernize their digital experience stacks and manage the complexities. This gives him a keen eye and unmatched perspective on what might lay ahead as DXPs become more AI-powered.</p><h3 id="the-evolution-to-agentic-cms-and-agent-powered-systems">The evolution to Agentic CMS and agent-powered systems</h3><p>In the pod, Matt and Dan trace the line from CMS to web experience management to DXP, leading to the rise of AI and agentic systems. Despite all the new features and terminology, they explore why the CMS is still the true center of the digital experience and which capabilities are non‑negotiable versus “nice to have.” </p><p>Along the way, they revisit the headless vs. monolith debate that captured the market zeitgeist in the early 2020s, and how CDPs, DAMs, and CMPs slid into the DXP stack over years of acquisitions – rendering a new composition for the DXP template. </p><p> </p><figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://youtu.be/aPWv6nHg1Cs"><div style="position:relative;padding-bottom:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:56.2493%"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aPWv6nHg1Cs" style="position:absolute;width:100%;height:100%;top:0;left:0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></figure><p> </p><h3 id="how-is-ai-transforming-the-dxp?">How is AI transforming the DXP?</h3><p>The conversation then zeroes in on AI, starting with the first wave of generative features. Today, the agentic expansion is undeniable, with platforms introducing full agentic layers and multi‑agent orchestration. </p><p>In the episode, Dan walks through how Adobe, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/optimizely">Optimizely</a>, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/contentstack">Contentstack</a>, Sitecore, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/squiz">Squiz</a>, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/magnolia">Magnolia</a>, and other vendors are positioning their AI stacks as front and center. And while many features are finding parity, there are key differences in how AI agents are being harnessed from system to system. As he says, if your DXP vendor doesn’t offer an agentic layer by 2027, it’s time to get concerned.</p><p>Matt and Dan also tackle the practical side of DXP selection in the here and now. They cover everything from balancing composability, dealing with multiple CMSs inside universities and large organizations, managing agents and MCP servers, and making sense of AI credit models and total cost of ownership. They also share how real clients are weighting agentic capabilities in RFPs, the importance of discovery around content operations, and why governance and permissions for agents are now just as critical as roles for humans.</p><p>If you work in CMS/DXP platforms, lead digital or product teams, or manage content operations, you'll find this episode to be hyper relevant and enlightening. And if you're staring down a replatforming RFP or a big AI roadmap decision, Dan brings clear, practitioner‑level guidance to what really matters in a modern DXP – and how to hedge your bets for the next 3–5 years of AI‑driven change. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://tinyurl.com/5ymyfwav"><strong>Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts.</strong></a></p><h3 id="links">Links</h3><ul><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.dxpcatalyst.com "><strong>DXP Catalyst Consulting</strong></a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect26"><strong>Boye &amp; Company CMS Connect 26</strong></a></li></ul><h3 id="other-articles-by-dan-on-cms-critic:">Other Articles by Dan on CMS Critic:</h3><ul><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/what-is-a-dxp-in-2026"><strong>What is a DXP in 2026?</strong></a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/where-native-dxp-ai-fits-within-an-agentic-enterprise-strategy"><strong>Where Native DXP AI Fits Within an Agentic Enterprise Strategy</strong></a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/composable-vs-pre-composed-dxps-in-2026-a-two-track-evaluation-framework-for-modern-dxp-selection"><strong>Composable vs. Pre-Composed DXPs in 2026: A Two-Track Evaluation Framework for Modern DXP Selection</strong></a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/3-things-to-look-for-in-a-dxp-as-conversational-search-changes-the-game"><strong>3 Things to Look for in a DXP as Conversational Search Changes the Game</strong></a></li></ul><h3 id="“the-critic’s-corner”-podcast-with-dan-drapeau">“The Critic’s Corner” Podcast with Dan Drapeau</h3><p><span style="color:#30313D"> </span></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://tinyurl.com/5ymyfwav"><span class="text-big"><strong>Listen to the full episode &gt;</strong></span></a></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cms-critic-the-critics-corner-podcast/id1801794414"><span class="text-big"><strong>Subscribe on Apple Podcasts &gt;</strong></span></a></p><p> </p><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:66.12%"><a href="https://tinyurl.com/5ymyfwav" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/08/critics-corner-apple-podcast-dan-drapeau.jpg" /></a></figure><p> </p><hr /><h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3><p> </p><p><img style="width:36.69%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/01/open-source-cms-26.jpg" /></p><h4 id="open-source-cms-26"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/opensourcecms26">Open Source CMS 26</a></h4><p><strong>October 20–21, 2026 – Utrecht, Netherlands</strong></p><p>Join us for the first annual edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to making open source CMS better. This event is already being called the “missing gathering place” for the open source CMS community – an international conference with confirmed participants from Europe and North America. Be part of a friendly mix of digital leaders from notable open source CMS projects, agencies, even a few industry analysts who get together to learn, network, and talk about what really matters when it comes to creating better open source CMS projects right now and for the foreseeable future. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/opensourcecms26/tickets">Book your tickets today.</a></p><p> </p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.storyblok.com/joyconf"><img style="width:34.57%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/07/joyconf-2026-logo.png" /></a></p><h4 id="storyblok-joyconf-2026"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.storyblok.com/joyconf">Storyblok JoyConf 2026</a></h4><p><strong>October 28 - 29, Rheingoldhalle, Mainz (Frankfurt)</strong></p><p>JoyConf 2026 is where developers, marketers, and digital innovators come together from all around the world, united by one powerful idea: great content isn’t built by tools alone – it’s built by people who rely on systems to deliver their best work to the world. In an era where technology is increasingly shaped by AI, Content Confidence becomes your competitive advantage. When you can create, manage, and scale content that performs seamlessly across channels, platforms, and AI, you don’t just keep up – you win. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.storyblok.com/joyconf">Book your seats today.</a></p><p> </p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://symposium.sitecore.com/"><img style="width:36.36%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/07/sitecore-symposium-2026.png" /></a></p><h4 id="sitecore-symposium-2026"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://symposium.sitecore.com/">Sitecore Symposium 2026</a></h4><p><strong>November 10 - 12, Orlando, Florida</strong></p><p>Welcome to “Marketing Rewired” at Sitecore Symposium 2026! Sitecore's annual flagship global conference brings together customers, partners, developers, marketers, and digital experience leaders to explore the latest innovations in digital experience, content management, AI, personalization, and customer engagement. This year's event features keynote presentations from Sitecore executives and industry experts, product announcements, hands-on learning, technical sessions, customer success stories, and networking opportunities focused on helping organizations build more intelligent, connected, and AI-powered digital experiences. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://symposium.sitecore.com/">Book your seats today.</a></p>

The Critic's Corner Podcast: Dan Drapeau on How AI Agents are Redefining DXP Expectations

MX to the MAX: Tom Cranstoun's New Book Decodes Machine Experience for Humans and Agents

<h4 id="-"> </h4><h4 id="watch-the-full-episode-of-the-matt-&amp;-matt-show--&gt;"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://youtu.be/3ob-7QyWk8U"><i><strong>Watch the full episode of the Matt &amp; Matt Show  &gt;</strong></i></a></h4><p> </p><hr /><p> </p><p>The summer is heating up, and the Matts are back with some hot takes from the road in this unofficial 2026 Halftime Report! Sure, the World Cup might be scoring big on most screens, but AEO is proving (again) to be the real goal in our industry game. </p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://youtu.be/3ob-7QyWk8U">In this episode of the show,</a> Matt McQueeny kicks things off with insights from <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/vercel">Vercel</a> Ship in New York, driving a conversation about the company’s growth track. From partner momentum to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://openai.com/">OpenAI</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.meta.ai/">Meta</a> use cases, the two Matts dig into why Vercel continues to be a preferred development platform for building, deploying, and scaling applications. They unpack what this means for agencies, developers, and the growing world of prompt-driven, component-based prototyping. </p><p> </p><figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:71.85%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/07/matt-vercel.png" /></figure><p style="text-align:center"><span class="text-small" style="color:hsl(210,75%,60%)"><i>Matt McQueeny at Vercel Ship in New York</i></span></p><p style="text-align:center"> </p><p>The conversation then heads to Orlando and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.fullsail.edu/">Full Sail University,</a> the site of the latest <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/groups/cms-experts">Boye &amp; Company CMS Experts and Digital Leaders</a> meeting. The Matts were joined by a diverse group of participants and treated to a campus tour that featured world-class facilities for training the next generation of builders. </p><p>In the pod, they talk about the school’s unique curriculum, the intersection of physical and digital experiences, the growing focus on AI literacy, and the urgent need for better-prepared practitioners in disciplines like cybersecurity (oh, and drone operation!)</p><p> </p><figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:70.85%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/07/full-sail-meeting.jpg" /></figure><p style="text-align:center"><span class="text-small" style="color:hsl(210,75%,60%)"><i>Matt Garrepy and Matt McQueeny in Orlando at the Boye &amp; Company Digital Leaders meeting at Full Sail University</i></span></p><p style="text-align:center"> </p><p>During the meeting, Matt Garrepy facilitated a deeper conversation around AI’s impact, with some fantastic use cases across industries like healthcare – where attendees like <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-coyne-55565615a/">Amba’s Stephanie Coyne</a> shared how AI and automation are making an impact in elder care. The group also discussed everything from AI governance and compliance to adtech, making for a truly dynamic session. </p><p>Throughout the episode, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/in-the-race-to-ai-visibility-are-aeo-and-geo-really-delivering-97-of-digital-leaders-say-yes">AEO – Answer Engine Optimization</a> – is a major throughline, and the Matts discuss how bots now own the largest share of traffic, how websites are adapting, and what AEO success looks like in practice. Matt and Matt also dig into the AEO race in the wake of some high-profile industry moves. From <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/crunch-time-for-ai-visibility-sitecores-acquisition-of-scrunch-gives-brands-an-edge-beyond-aeo">Sitecore’s acquisition of Scrunch,</a> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/bland-brands-beware-optimizelys-new-identity-brings-human-creativity-to-its-agentic-ai-and-aeo-ambitions">Optimizely’s partnership with Conductor, </a>and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/no-more-kicking-the-cms-tires-as-salesforce-acquires-contentful-can-it-keep-the-wheels-on-the-ai-road">Contentful’s</a> launch of Palmata, the landscape is growing at both the top and bottom as more downstream startups like <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/as-ai-generated-search-grows-otterly-is-utterly-awesome-for-marketers-heres-why">Otterly.ai </a>and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.surfacegx.com/">SurfaceGX</a> attempt to challenge this nascent space. </p><p> </p><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75.01%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/07/codegarden-image-1783344921770.jpg" /></figure><p style="text-align:center"><span class="text-small" style="color:hsl(210,75%,60%)"><i>Umbraco Codegarden 2026 in Copenhagen</i></span></p><p style="text-align:center"> </p><p>Matt Garrepy also reviews his recent stops covering the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://summit.typo3.com/">TYPO3 North American Summit </a>in Atlanta, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://codegarden.umbraco.com/program/">Umbraco’s Codegarden 26</a> in Copenhagen, and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/how-to-thrive-at-25-as-sitecore-charts-an-ai-future-community-remains-its-greatest-asset">Sitecore’s 25th Silver Anniversary</a> event at the Tivoli Gardens in Denmark. It’s a tour of how open source and commercial CMS and DXP platforms are making a stronger play in a competitive marketplace, and where AI is transforming the roadmap for every vendor. </p><p> </p><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75.96%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/07/sitecore-tivoli-event.png" /></figure><p style="text-align:center"><span class="text-small" style="color:hsl(210,75%,60%)"><i>Sitecore's 25th Silver Anniversary event at Tivoli Gardens</i></span></p><p> </p><p>Finally, Matt and Matt explore the reinvigoration of PR, video, podcasting, and other multimedia channels as new engines for AEO and (maybe) even a new CPM measurement: “cost-per-mention.” From transcripts and clips to earned media and “earnfluencing,” they dig into why these content streams are further fueling the answer engines that shape discovery.</p><p>It’s a packed hour with a ton of insights, a few offside calls, and only a couple of penalties for opinions. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://youtu.be/3ob-7QyWk8U">Listen here and subscribe,</a> and let us know what you want us to talk about on the next episode!</p><h3 id="check-out-our-latest-stories">Check out our latest stories</h3><ul><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/bland-brands-beware-optimizelys-new-identity-brings-human-creativity-to-its-agentic-ai-and-aeo-ambitions"><strong>Bland Brands Beware: Optimizely’s New Identity Brings Human Creativity to its Agentic AI and AEO Ambitions</strong></a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/ai-and-accessibility-incredible-potential-inconvenient-questions"><strong>AI and Accessibility: Incredible Potential, Inconvenient Questions</strong></a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/how-to-thrive-at-25-as-sitecore-charts-an-ai-future-community-remains-its-greatest-asset"><strong>How to Thrive at 25: As Sitecore Charts an AI Future, Community Remains its Greatest Asset</strong></a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/kentico-opens-its-site-of-the-year-2026-awards-as-first-major-dxp-with-a-best-use-of-ai-category"><strong>Kentico Opens its Site of the Year 2026 Awards as First Major DXP with a ‘Best Use of AI’ Category</strong></a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/without-cogs-no-machine-moves"><strong>Without Cogs, No Machine Moves</strong></a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/how-cms-and-dxp-teams-can-use-generative-engine-optimization-to-increase-visibility-in-ai-generated-answers"><strong>How CMS and DXP Teams Can Use Generative Engine Optimization to Increase Visibility in AI-Generated Answers</strong></a></li></ul><h3 id="matt-&amp;-matt-meetups">Matt &amp; Matt meetups</h3><p>The Matts are on the road! Check out where they’re at – and drop us a line if you’re able to join some of our <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/groups/cms-experts">Boye &amp; Company meetings</a> for CMS Experts and Digital Leaders. </p><ul><li><strong>August 4-5 – Montréal</strong><br /><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect26">CMS Connect 26 Conference</a></li></ul><h3 id="enjoying-the-matt-&amp;-matt-show?-stay-connected!">Enjoying the Matt &amp; Matt Show? Stay connected!</h3><p> </p><ul><li><span class="text-big"><strong>Subscribe today on YouTube: </strong></span><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.youtube.com/@MattMattShow"><span class="text-big"><strong>@MattMattShow</strong></span></a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-mcqueeny-9732493/"><span class="text-big"><strong>Follow Matt McQueeny on LinkedIn</strong></span></a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattgarrepy/"><span class="text-big"><strong>Follow Matt Garrepy on LinkedIn</strong></span></a></li></ul><h3 id="have-an-idea-for-a-topic?-wanna-be-on-the-show?-">Have an idea for a topic? Wanna be on the show? </h3><p>We love our audience, and we want your input. Send us your ideas for future episodes! And if you’re willing, maybe we’ll have you on to talk CMS, DXP, AI, and more! <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/contact"><strong>Contact us.</strong></a></p><p> </p><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:28.7%"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@MattMattShow" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/03/image-1774291050198.png" /></a></figure><p> </p><hr /><h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3><p> </p><p> </p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect26"><img style="width:41.96%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/05/cms-connect-logo-26.jpg" /></a></p><h4 id="cms-connect-26"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect26">CMS Connect 26</a></h4><p><strong>August 5-6, 2026 – Montreal, Canada</strong></p><p>The best conferences create space for honest, experience-based conversations. Not sales pitches. Not hype. Just thoughtful exchanges between people who spend their days designing, building, running, and evolving digital experiences. CMS Connect brings together people who share real stories from their work and platforms and who are interested in learning from each other on how to make things better. Over two days in Montreal, you can expect practitioner-led talks grounded in experience, conversations about trade-offs, constraints, and decisions, and time to compare notes with peers facing similar challenges. Space is limited for this exclusive event, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect26">so book your seats today.</a></p><p> </p><p><img style="width:36.69%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/01/open-source-cms-26.jpg" /></p><h4 id="open-source-cms-26"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/opensourcecms26">Open Source CMS 26</a></h4><p><strong>October 20–21, 2026 – Utrecht, Netherlands</strong></p><p>Join us for the first annual edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to making open source CMS better. This event is already being called the “missing gathering place” for the open source CMS community – an international conference with confirmed participants from Europe and North America. Be part of a friendly mix of digital leaders from notable open source CMS projects, agencies, even a few industry analysts who get together to learn, network, and talk about what really matters when it comes to creating better open source CMS projects right now and for the foreseeable future. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/opensourcecms26/tickets">Book your tickets today.</a></p><p> </p><p><img style="width:35.73%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/05/image-1778200565145.png" /></p><h4 id="contentstack-contentcon-2026"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.contentstack.com/contentcon">Contentstack ContentCon 2026</a></h4><p><strong>September 30 - October 1, Amsterdam  /  October 27-28, 2026 – Chicago</strong></p><p>Contentstack’s annual customer conference is the premier event for executives, marketing leaders, and developers to redefine their digital experience strategy. This is your opportunity to step out of the "status quo" and into "elite" status, learning exactly how the world’s most successful brands are using the technology you already own to do the impossible. Enjoy a full day of interactive workshops, certifications, and inspirational on-stage sessions designed to help you become an expert on cutting-edge digital strategies and how to turn Contentstack's CMS and adaptive personalization tools into your greatest competitive advantage.<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.jdayusa.com/"> </a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.contentstack.com/contentcon">Book your seats today.</a></p><p> </p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.storyblok.com/joyconf"><img style="width:34.57%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/07/joyconf-2026-logo.png" /></a></p><h4 id="storyblok-joyconf-2026"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.storyblok.com/joyconf">Storyblok JoyConf 2026</a></h4><p><strong>October 28 - 29, Rheingoldhalle, Mainz (Frankfurt)</strong></p><p>JoyConf 2026 is where developers, marketers, and digital innovators come together from all around the world, united by one powerful idea: great content isn’t built by tools alone – it’s built by people who rely on systems to deliver their best work to the world. In an era where technology is increasingly shaped by AI, Content Confidence becomes your competitive advantage. When you can create, manage, and scale content that performs seamlessly across channels, platforms, and AI, you don’t just keep up – you win. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.storyblok.com/joyconf">Book your seats today.</a></p>

Matt & Matt Show Episode 7: 2026 Halftime Report! Vercel Ship to Full Sail, the AEO Goal, and More

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Matt & Matt, Episode 3: Broadway, Serendipity, Product Evangelism, and the New Rules of AI Visibility 

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