Articles - Page 7

The Top 10 AI Tools for Small Business: From Automation to a Coordinated Team of AI Agents

matt-garrepy

<hr /> No doubt about it: 2025 was a BIG year of change for CMS. Agentic AI raged across the digital experience stack, and context was front and center. Platforms transformed before our eyes, but one thing remained the same: the passion and creativity of practitioners. Every day, marketers, editors, and developers rely on the tools they love to get the job done. And, as every year, we take the opportunity to celebrate the continued innovation and hard-fought loyalty of CMS and DX vendors in supporting their customers, partners, and communities. With that in mind… You nominated some amazing platforms for our 14th Annual CMS Critic Awards!Once again, your participation was off the charts. We had some big names make the grade, but a few challengers stirred things up. We had loads of individual suggestions across all of our categories – from CMS to DXP, e-Commerce to CDP – and now YOU get to pick the winners from the top five contenders! Now's your chance: You have until February 27th, 2026 to cast your vote! So get out there and share the news! Activate your communities and bring the rain. Most of all, have fun celebrating the incredible contributions coming from all corners of our industry. Keep reading for the nominee list, or start picking your winners at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/vote">www.cmscritic.com/vote </a> <figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://youtu.be/e2tAX1XiSro"><div style="position:relative;padding-bottom:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:56.2493%"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/e2tAX1XiSro" style="position:absolute;width:100%;height:100%;top:0;left:0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></figure> <h3 id="the-nominees">The Nominees</h3>Raise the curtains…. <h4 id="best-free-cms">Best Free CMS</h4><ul><li>Joomla </li><li>Statamic </li><li>TYPO3 </li><li>Umbraco </li><li>Wagtail </li></ul> <h4 id="best-enterprise-cms">Best Enterprise CMS</h4><ul><li>Joomla </li><li>Sitecore </li><li>Storyblok </li><li>TYPO3 </li><li>Umbraco </li></ul> <h4 id="best-headless-cms">Best Headless CMS</h4><ul><li>Contentstack </li><li>Sitecore </li><li>Statamic </li><li>Storyblok </li><li>Umbraco </li></ul> <h4 id="best-open-source-cms">Best Open Source CMS</h4><ul><li>Joomla </li><li>Statamic </li><li>TYPO3 </li><li>Umbraco </li><li>Wagtail </li></ul><h4 id="-"> </h4><h4 id="best-flat-file-cms">Best Flat File CMS</h4><ul><li>11ty </li><li>Grav </li><li>Hugo </li><li>Kirby </li><li>Statamic </li></ul> <h4 id="best-enterprise-content-management-(ecm)">Best Enterprise Content Management (ECM)</h4><ul><li>Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) </li><li>Alfresco </li><li>Box </li><li>Microsoft SharePoint </li><li>OpenText </li></ul> <h4 id="best-digital-experience-platform-(dxp)">Best Digital Experience Platform (DXP)</h4><ul><li>Contentstack </li><li>Kentico </li><li>Optimizely </li><li>Sitecore </li><li>Umbraco  </li></ul> <h4 id="best-website-builder">Best Website Builder</h4><ul><li>SP Page Builder </li><li>uSkinned </li><li>Webflow </li><li>Wix </li><li>YOOtheme </li></ul> <h4 id="best-content-marketing-platform-(cmp)">Best Content Marketing Platform (CMP)</h4><ul><li>Contentstack </li><li>HubSpot </li><li>Optimizely </li><li>Sitecore </li><li>Umbraco </li></ul> <h4 id="best-digital-asset-management-(dam)-system">Best Digital Asset Management (DAM) System</h4><ul><li>Cloudinary </li><li>Contentstack </li><li>Optimizely </li><li>Sitecore </li><li>Umbraco </li></ul> <h4 id="best-product-information-management-(pim)-system">Best Product Information Management (PIM) System</h4><ul><li>Akeneo </li><li>DynamicWeb </li><li>Optimizely </li><li>Pimcore </li><li>Struct </li></ul> <h4 id="best-customer-data-platform-(cdp)">Best Customer Data Platform (CDP)</h4><ul><li>Contentstack </li><li>Microsoft Dynamics 365</li><li>Optimizely </li><li>Segment </li><li>Sitecore </li></ul> <h4 id="best-e-commerce-solution">Best e-Commerce Solution</h4><ul><li>HikaShop </li><li>Shopify </li><li>Sitecore </li><li>Umbraco </li><li>VirtueMart </li></ul> <h4 id="best-development/hosting-platform">Best Development/Hosting Platform</h4><ul><li>Azure </li><li>e-Base </li><li>Laravel Forge </li><li>Netlify </li><li>Vercel </li></ul> <h4 id="best-ai-solution">Best AI Solution</h4><ul><li>Contentstack</li><li>Optimizely </li><li>Sitecore</li><li>Storyblok</li><li>Umbraco</li></ul><h3 id="ready-to-vote-your-heart-out?-">Ready to vote your heart out? </h3>It's you voice, your choice! Tell us which platforms you really love – and who should take home the prize. Remember, you have until February 27th to get your votes in!Do it today at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/vote">www.cmscritic.com/vote </a> <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3> <img style="width:34.15%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/01/logo_jday_hor.png" /><h4 id="joomladay-usa-2026"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.jdayusa.com/">JoomlaDay USA 2026</a></h4>April 29 - May 2, 2026 – Delray Beach, FloridaBe part of the Joomla community in one of the most iconic cities in the world! JoomlaDay USA 2026 is coming to Delray Beach, and you can join us for a dynamic event packed with insights, workshops, and networking opportunities. Learn from top Joomla experts and developers offering valuable insights and real-world solutions. Participate in interactive workshops and sessions and enhance your skills in Joomla management, development, design, and more. And connect with fellow Joomla enthusiasts, developers, and professionals from across the world.<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.jdayusa.com/"> Book your seats today.</a> <img style="width:30.06%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/01/cms-summit-26-logo.jpg" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-summit-26"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmssummit26">CMS Summit 26</a></h4>May 12-13, 2026 – Frankfurt, GermanyThe 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 Summit 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 Frankfurt, 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/cmssummit26/tickets">so book your seats today.</a> <img style="width:30.13%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/12/image-1765546475634.png" /><h4 id="umbraco-codegarden-2026"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://codegarden.umbraco.com/">Umbraco Codegarden 2026</a></h4>June 10–11, 2026 – Copenhagen, DKJoin us in Copenhagen (or online) for the biggest Umbraco conference in the world – two full days of learning, genuine conversations, and the kind of inspiration that brings business leaders, developers, and digital creators together. Codegarden 2026 is packed with both business and tech content, from deep-dive workshops and advanced sessions to real-world case studies and strategy talks. You’ll leave with ideas, strategies, and knowledge you can put into practice immediately. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://codegarden.umbraco.com/">Book your tickets today.</a> <img style="width:36.69%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/01/open-source-cms-26.jpg" /><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>October 20–21, 2026 – Utrecht, NetherlandsJoin 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>

Vote your heart out! Pick the winners for the 14th Annual CMS Critic Awards

cms-critic-staff

Agentic AI for Agencies in 2026

bmckeiver

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/critics/chad-gilbert">Chad Frederick Gilbert</a> is Vice President of Content Marketing at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://npdigital.com/">NP Digital </a>and a CMS Critic contributor.<hr />People are changing the way they search for information online. Previously, they would launch their browser and enter a phrase or keyword into a search engine, then review the list of search results, looking for the most relevant source that met their needs. Sometimes, this process required a substantial amount of time.With the advent of AI, all that has changed. People now explain what they need to large language models (LLMs) and ask them to search, comb through the results, and produce executive summaries. This enables users to locate information simply by having a conversation. As a result, the new science of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://neilpatel.com/blog/generative-engine-optimization-geo/">Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)</a> has emerged, in which marketers craft content to appeal to LLMs. Showing up in those conversations can create new leads, drive traffic to the website, and ultimately lead to increased revenue.Here’s how these changes are affecting content teams, their content management systems (CMSs), digital experience platforms (DXPs), and the types of tools businesses should consider incorporating to improve their GEO results.<h3 id="what-today’s-llms-want">What today’s LLMs want</h3>Marketers now have a new goal: not only attracting AI models to their website but also having AIs cite it in responses to user queries. Publishing content that achieves this requires a different approach.First and foremost, today’s <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2402.19421">AIs prioritize content that is accessible</a> and offers clear value to the audience. They evaluate pages for the accuracy, reliability, and trustworthiness of their content through fact-checking. They also consider the site’s cybersecurity, transparency, and honesty. Any deceptive tactics or misinformation count against websites.Another element that current AIs are looking for is substance. Today’s <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.14436">AI models still like SEO keywords</a> and phrases, but only when they are used in a natural way. Attractive content also demonstrates the depth and richness of true mastery. It not only covers the fundamentals clearly and concisely but also answers common follow-up questions.In addition, authority arguably matters more now. Today’s <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://neilpatel.com/blog/llm-seeding/">AI models consider the source</a>. Authors who have official credentials or qualifications to back up their position, or some kind of lived experience with the topic, have an advantage. The same is true for sources who have been quoted in top-tier publications. If a site has no clear authorship, LLMs recognize this as a bad sign, which has ramifications for the kinds of content that businesses need to produce today.<h3 id="how-to-attract-today’s-ai-models">How to attract today’s AI models</h3>AI models pull from sites that offer authoritative content presented in a clear, structured way that addresses users’ needs. For this reason, content teams now <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcontentmanagement/tip/How-to-integrate-GEO-with-an-SEO-strategy">organize information differently</a> so AI can interpret it more easily. For instance, it’s advisable to use more headings and subheadings, as well as lists marked off with bullet points. It’s also a good idea to use a question-and-answer format or include a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section.To meet the criteria for thoroughness, the text should be thorough, detailed, and concrete. Include definitions of key terms, as well as real-world or hypothetical examples. Backing claims up with supporting evidence is also important, as it reinforces trust. LLMs also appreciate content that explains its own reasoning.To establish authority, use your content to showcase your business leaders, their credentials, and any relevant lived experience. Pursue a PR strategy of earning media coverage in reputable publications to build visibility and credibility. Embed external URLs only from high-quality, disinterested sources like academic studies or industry research in your content.<h3 id="how-ai-makes-marketing-easier">How AI makes marketing easier</h3>While the demands of producing such high-level content might seem daunting, today’s AI technologies also alleviate some of the burden from human staff. Content teams that have implemented AI assistance can work faster and more effectively than ever. AI resources can conduct research, generate ideas, perform quality checks, and even provide preliminary drafts of potential content.The good news is that it’s often not necessary to invest in a whole new CMS or DXP to stay abreast of these changes. Supporting tools that help businesses improve their digital presence are readily available on the market.<h3 id="what-tools-improve-geo">What tools improve GEO</h3>Most businesses don’t need the most advanced CMS or DXP to succeed. They just need a tech stack that supports the production of high-quality content, provides telling insights about the audience, and can measure real-world performance.Here are the tools that most business leaders should incorporate into their workflows:<ul><li>AI-driven content tools: These AIs help produce content, from conducting the underlying research to generating possible outlines and even coming up with potential copy. They can scale your existing content quickly while ensuring consistency and a positive consumer experience.</li><li>GEO optimization tools: These resources optimize your content for today’s LLMs. They find good URLs — both external and internal — to embed in your copy and suggest appropriate metadata and tags. They also analyze the structure of your content and propose improvements, ensuring the page is easy for both humans and AIs to understand. This not only improves the customer experience but also boosts the business’s online visibility.</li><li>Audience insights and analytics platforms: These help you understand your audience. They track how users engage — or fail to engage — with your website. They also sense the patterns that underlie the conversions your business makes. Moreover, they can tell you what your ideal customers search for, steering you toward the right messages.</li><li>Quality-control tools: AI models’ ability to process large amounts of information quickly enables them to spot problems with your content’s quality or consistency. For instance, they can identify broken links and other issues on your website and suggest practical solutions.</li></ul>Having a suite of such tools would help future-proof your enterprise, even as the next AI iteration promises further changes.<h3 id="position-your-business-for-the-future">Position your business for the future</h3>While GEO requires content teams to rethink their approach, having the right resources enables them to create compelling content for humans and AIs alike at scale. By delivering clarity, substance, authority, and trust, marketers can position their organizations to dominate the future. <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3> <img style="width:34.15%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/01/logo_jday_hor.png" /><h4 id="joomladay-usa-2026"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.jdayusa.com/">JoomlaDay USA 2026</a></h4>April 29 - May 2, 2026 – Delray Beach, FloridaBe part of the Joomla community in one of the most iconic cities in the world! JoomlaDay USA 2026 is coming to Delray Beach, and you can join us for a dynamic event packed with insights, workshops, and networking opportunities. Learn from top Joomla experts and developers offering valuable insights and real-world solutions. Participate in interactive workshops and sessions and enhance your skills in Joomla management, development, design, and more. And connect with fellow Joomla enthusiasts, developers, and professionals from across the world.<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.jdayusa.com/"> Book your seats today.</a> <img style="width:30.06%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/01/cms-summit-26-logo.jpg" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-summit-26"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmssummit26">CMS Summit 26</a></h4>May 12-13, 2026 – Frankfurt, GermanyThe 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 Summit 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 Frankfurt, 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/cmssummit26/tickets">so book your seats today.</a> <img style="width:30.13%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/12/image-1765546475634.png" /><h4 id="umbraco-codegarden-2026"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://codegarden.umbraco.com/">Umbraco Codegarden 2026</a></h4>June 10–11, 2026 – Copenhagen, DKJoin us in Copenhagen (or online) for the biggest Umbraco conference in the world – two full days of learning, genuine conversations, and the kind of inspiration that brings business leaders, developers, and digital creators together. Codegarden 2026 is packed with both business and tech content, from deep-dive workshops and advanced sessions to real-world case studies and strategy talks. You’ll leave with ideas, strategies, and knowledge you can put into practice immediately. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://codegarden.umbraco.com/">Book your tickets today.</a> <img style="width:36.69%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/01/open-source-cms-26.jpg" /><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>October 20–21, 2026 – Utrecht, NetherlandsJoin 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>

How Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and AI are Transforming Content and Human Strategies

chad-gilbert

Delivering hyper-personalized B2B content with a modern CMS

contentstack

<hr /> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sassafras">Sassafras</a> is a genus of aromatic, deciduous trees in the Laurel family – Lauraceae, for you nature nerds – which is native to eastern North America and parts of Asia. Known for its distinct, fragrant smell, Sassafras trees have these uniquely variable leaves that can be unlobed, two-lobed (kind of mitten-shaped), or even three-lobed. Funky, but beautiful.Living in the Southeastern U.S., I’ve experienced Sassafras in real life, often a fixture along dense forest trails. They produce a lovely yellow pistillate, and the leaves, twigs, and bark have an almost citrusy or spicy note to them. It’s delightful. Alluring, even. <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:62.04%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/02/sassafras_leaves_june_nbg_261691941.jpg" /></figure>Sassafras Leaves. Source: June Nbg, Wikipedia/Creative Commons Once upon a time, the bark of the Sassafras tree was the primary ingredient in root beer. It’s hence been recreated using artificial flavorings, partly because the oil derived from it – <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.healthline.com/health/sassafras-drug">called Safrole</a> – has hallucinogenic properties as a mild empathogen. Translation: you feel closeness and affection as it coerces your brain to release serotonin and dopamine.Right now, people could use a dose of Sassafras as they melt down over the “SaaSafras” – a more-than-mild tech selloff seemingly induced by <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.anthropic.com/">Anthropic’s</a> new plugins for its <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.anthropic.com/webinars/future-of-ai-at-work-introducing-cowork">Claude Cowork</a> agent, which were launched last Friday. In simplest terms, Claude Cowork is an agentic AI workspace that goes beyond answering questions. It can perform CRUD functions (create, read, update, delete) on files and folders on your computer, helping you execute tasks and not just engage in Q&amp;A conversations. Less like a chatbot, more like a digital coworker that can get stuff done.The real buzz is around those plugins, which are designed to automate specialized tasks across departments like marketing, legal, and customer support. Imagine drafting an email in your brand voice, then having a legal agent review it for risk.That sounds cool. But as we’ve seen, it’s hammering stocks as investors weigh the potential for organizations to just rely on these agents over traditional software. Enterprise giants like <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/salesforce">Salesforce</a> are feeling a major pinch. Professional services and advertising firms like <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.publicisgroupe.com/en/splash-en">Publicis</a> are taking a hit as faster automation and shrinking demand for traditional IT services become a shadowy specter along the growth highway.<h3 id="more-fear-in-the-ai-forest-">More fear in the AI forest </h3>Like we haven't had enough anxiety from the likes of AI. Fact is, we've been talking about a “SaaS implosion” as a byproduct of the agentic evolution for quite some time.The impact is being felt broadly. This includes the categories of CMS, digital experience, and martech vendors, all rolling in a hyperbolic field of “SaaSafras,” anxious that their software might be rendered obsolete by Claude – which, ironically, has been a common companion in the evolution of their own tools.As expected, software business leaders have pushed back, hoping to quell the fear – but offering sage points. As <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.indiatoday.in/technology/news/story/cognizant-ceo-reacts-after-anthropic-claude-cowork-crashes-saas-stocks-says-ai-is-not-magic-2863547-2026-02-05">Cognizant CEO Ravi Kumar</a> said today, AI isn’t magic. It’s not a “plug-and-play switch” that delivers results overnight. If that were the case, we would have seen more economic gains over the last three years. Instead, we’ve been served consistent data that tells a different story: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/2025/08/18/mit-report-95-percent-generative-ai-pilots-at-companies-failing-cfo/">95% of AI projects fail</a> before reaching production. 5% of active agentic systems are <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/agentic-panic-new-study-finds-ai-agents-in-production-face-infrastructure-and-reliability-challenges">being refactored every 30 days.</a> And a recent survey from PwC indicates that 56% of CEOs are getting “nothing” from their AI adoption efforts. Investments have been costly, and boards are beginning to focus hard on ROI.By all accounts, AI isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. At least not yet. But we’re still spooked by Claude. Why? Because we thrive on hype. So let’s take a step back to see the forest through the trees. Enterprises don’t just buy software – they buy trust. They buy assurances around HIPAA compliance and FedRAMP. They buy accountability and a single throat to choke. They buy performance, security, and scalability for critical workflows. They don’t just buy products. They buy outcomes.I’m sure Claude’s plugins will make an impact on productivity. It might be enough to rock some of the overall boat away from big, multi-year software licenses. But they can’t replace a system of authority that provides control, governance, and confidence. With AI, code might become a commodity, but context is the real goldmine. Legacy players like <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/adobe-experience-manager">Adobe</a> have customer data that provides an irreplicable scaffolding for their own LLM ambitions. Meanwhile, hyperscalers like <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/aws">AWS</a> are adding services that will enable SaaS players to accelerate their agentic AI strategies. That could level the playing field and create opportunities.<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://pitchbook.com/news/reports/q1-2026-pitchbook-analyst-note-clash-of-the-titans">As Pitchbook said,</a> this is like the era of laying fiber before the internet boom, and there are durable moats. We just need to know where to dig them.<h3 id="is-this-the-end-of-saas?">Is this the end of SaaS?</h3>It's a loaded question. Clearly, we're seeing challenges and pressures to the prevailing models. But will this erase the companies behind them, or just force an evolution of how they monetize their services? And what happens to the people behind the products in this great reckoning?I agree with <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/2026/02/04/jensen-huang-demanding-roi-from-ai-strategy-testing/">Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang,</a> who dismissed the idea that AI will make software obsolete. He called it illogical, doubling down on how SaaS tools will use and be used by AI, not replaced by it. He even said that “demanding ROI from AI is like forcing a child to make a business plan for a hobby.”He went on to say that AI tools have freed up employee time and hasn’t wiped out roles. In fact, from his vantage point, it’s enabling teams to focus on more forward-thinking initiatives and improving core strengths. Despite Amazon’s recent <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.crn.com/news/cloud/2026/aws-layoffs-hit-u-s-and-canada-employees-as-amazon-sheds-16-000-jobs">gutting of 16,000 mid-level workers,</a> large-scale displacement didn’t happen as it was predicted (at least not yet). I wrote about this in my <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/backoff-on-the-ai-layoffs-domos-chris-willis-on-the-future-of-work-in-2026">interview with Domo’s Chris Willis,</a> where companies that have downsized with AI have quietly hired back skilled workers.But labor is, indeed, shifting on all sides. The old model of paying for SaaS software is dying on the Sassafras vine as single-seat software paradigms are replaced by AI agents performing high-value tasks. This is where software companies could move up the ladder as a replacement mechanism – and with that growth, create more of the jobs and opportunities of the future. I say might, because it’s anyone’s guess.Is there reason for concern? Absolutely. CMS is changing in profound ways as content transforms. Licensing models are being disrupted. Composable patterns have made it easier to move from one technology to another. And yes, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cursor.com/">Cursor</a> can vibe code its way to a working website using markdown and sidestep its need for a market-leading headless CMS.But even if an app can be replaced with a vibe-coded tool or a Claude Cowork plugin, is that the best decision for your business? In some cases, it could be. The cost savings and efficiencies will be there. In others, having a solid, proven system of record is the only way to go. <h3 id="smell-the-‘saasafras’?">Smell the ‘SaaSafras’?</h3>There’s a lot of choice emerging in all of this, but it’s been building. Incrementally. We didn’t just arrive here yesterday. And it’s true: some vendors won’t survive what’s ahead. But hasn't that always been the case? Do we really need <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://chiefmartec.com/2025/05/2025-marketing-technology-landscape-supergraphic-100x-growth-since-2011-but-now-with-ai/">15,384 tools</a> on the Martec Supergraphic? <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:78.12%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/02/screenshot-2026-02-05-at-3.png" /></figure>The 2025 Martec Supergraphic. Source: Chiefmartec.com So how do we move forward? Here are some things to focus on:<ul><li>Innovate on the agentic edge but concentrate on productive, workflow-critical solutions where AI can act as a control plane for real work and deliver tangible impact.</li><li>Make governance your moat. Enterprises will always experiment, but in 2026, they’re trading AI novelty for security, scalability, compliance – and, of course, board-worthy results.</li><li>Turn proprietary context into leverage, not just training data. Use the hard-earned structural fundamentals that surround your valuable data – things like schemas and history. They're one of the most important pillars of your IP.</li><li>Kill seat-based pricing before agents kill it for you, and move to outcome- and value-based models.</li><li>Win on orchestration, not generation, because the future belongs to platforms that can manage chaos – not just create more stuff. This is one of the keys to enduring business value.</li></ul><h3 id="the-strongest-roots-will-survive">The strongest roots will survive</h3>That smell in the air today is panic. An emotional sweat that’s a little disorienting and easy to mistake for something more pungent than it actually is. But this “SaaSafras” moment we’re in isn’t a signal to flee the forest. It’s a reminder to pay attention to what’s growing beneath the canopy. AI agents are absolutely reshaping how software is built, bought, and used. But they won’t replace the need for trust, context, and systems of real accountability.The vendors that survive this moment won’t be the ones clinging to the old models. They’ll be the ones cultivating deep roots or growing new lobes of innovation. When the hype fades, durable platforms will adapt in the wild – and remain standing. <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3> <img style="width:34.15%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/01/logo_jday_hor.png" /><h4 id="joomladay-usa-2026"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.jdayusa.com/">JoomlaDay USA 2026</a></h4>April 29 - May 2, 2026 – Delray Beach, FloridaBe part of the Joomla community in one of the most iconic cities in the world! JoomlaDay USA 2026 is coming to Delray Beach, and you can join us for a dynamic event packed with insights, workshops, and networking opportunities. Learn from top Joomla experts and developers offering valuable insights and real-world solutions. Participate in interactive workshops and sessions and enhance your skills in Joomla management, development, design, and more. And connect with fellow Joomla enthusiasts, developers, and professionals from across the world.<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.jdayusa.com/"> Book your seats today.</a> <img style="width:30.06%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/01/cms-summit-26-logo.jpg" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-summit-26"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmssummit26">CMS Summit 26</a></h4>May 12-13, 2026 – Frankfurt, GermanyThe 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 Summit 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 Frankfurt, 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/cmssummit26/tickets">so book your seats today.</a> <img style="width:30.13%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/12/image-1765546475634.png" /><h4 id="umbraco-codegarden-2026"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://codegarden.umbraco.com/">Umbraco Codegarden 2026</a></h4>June 10–11, 2026 – Copenhagen, DKJoin us in Copenhagen (or online) for the biggest Umbraco conference in the world – two full days of learning, genuine conversations, and the kind of inspiration that brings business leaders, developers, and digital creators together. Codegarden 2026 is packed with both business and tech content, from deep-dive workshops and advanced sessions to real-world case studies and strategy talks. You’ll leave with ideas, strategies, and knowledge you can put into practice immediately. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://codegarden.umbraco.com/">Book your tickets today.</a> <img style="width:36.69%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/01/open-source-cms-26.jpg" /><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>October 20–21, 2026 – Utrecht, NetherlandsJoin 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>

Smell the 'SaaSafras'? Anthropic’s new AI tools are a reminder that change is in the air, but panic stinks

Orchestrate and Create: Umbraco Compose Streamlines Integration of New Technologies and Agentic AI

MVPs Assemble: Sitecore Recognizes 213 Digital Innovators as ‘Most Valuable Professionals’ for 2026

<hr /> When I first saw <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominik-xperience-pinter/">Dominik Pinter</a> at the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff26">Boye &amp; Company CMS Kickoff 26</a> in St. Petersburg two weeks ago, he was running on the pier under cool but balmy skies.This wasn't at all out of character. We've covered some miles together at previous conferences. He’s a man on the move, constantly looking ahead and chasing what’s on the horizon. Endurance is an asset in tech. Just try keeping up with him.That said, you can’t get very far as a distance runner if you’re not grounded in the present. And in many ways, that’s what defines his leadership at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.kentico.com/">Kentico</a>: a clear focus on the future grounded in world-class support for customers and partners in the here and now.That’s a good formula for winning a race – even if you’re facing serious headwinds. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/kentico-achieves-big-milestones-in-2025-citing-ai-innovation-and-xperience-by-kentico-as-key-drivers">In a recent article,</a> the Kentico CEO echoed the challenges that many CMS and DXP vendors faced in 2025, but quickly noted that it was a “transformative year” that saw over <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.kentico.com/CMSModules/Newsletters/CMSPages/Redirect.ashx?linkguid=0192112e-93c7-4bd7-b015-f29c33f4fadd&amp;email=matt%40cmscritic.com&amp;hash=be0d1d8f19e0858f5111492f222eca952b1f9d98aaaeebe1c4c04b9dec830ced">100 new digital projects</a> launched on its stellar <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.kentico.com/platform">Xperience by Kentico</a> platform. The evolution to its new multichannel content management, marketing, and digital commerce solution has been a long one, but it’s paying off in new opportunities and growth. <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:36.54%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/12/image-1765977570953.png" /></figure>Kentico CEO Dominik Pinter. Source: Kentico website Along with its investment in the AI horizon – crystallized by <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.kentico.com/platform/aira">AIRA</a>, Kentico’s native AI agent that streamlines the creation, optimization, and time to deploy for digital experiences – Dominik and his company are embarking on the next chapter in its 20-plus-year history. One that focuses on empowering brands, builders, and marketers in entirely new ways.That excitement level was amplified today as the company announced a major leap forward in its AI ambitions: the launch of its <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.kentico.com/platform/agentic-marketing-suite">AIRA Agentic Marketing Suite.</a> As the name implies, it’s powered by specialized agents built to execute defined marketing and content tasks, reinforcing Kentico’s vision that AI should be operational, transparent, and embedded directly into how teams work. “Marketers have no shortage of ideas,” Dominik said. “What they need is the bandwidth to bring them to life. With the Agentic Marketing Suite, we’re giving teams a way to scale their expertise, cut through complexity, and deliver results faster.”Kentico’s AIRA Agentic Marketing Suite is a reflection of the evolution that marketers are experiencing: higher velocity. More noise. Too many tools. It gives marketing teams more space, allowing them to move from planning to live experiences without the very real drag of delays or cumbersome tools. And because it’s built directly into Xperience by Kentico, it has the essential AI-powered workflows to support a full lifecycle of activities – from planning, content creation, testing, and optimization – all in one place.The goal: turn marketing ideas into measurable results faster. <h3 id="leveraging-aira-as-the-foundation-of-an-ai-powered-marketing-suite">Leveraging AIRA as the foundation of an AI-powered marketing suite</h3>As mentioned, AIRA (Artificial Intelligence Recommendations &amp; Assistance) is at the heart of Kentico’s AI strategy, providing marketers with easily accessible tools that cut down on repetitive work and simplify daily tasks. At its core, Kentico’s Agentic Marketing Suite is an evolution of AIRA, transforming it from the role of a digital assistant and into an orchestrated system of specialized AI agents that support the full marketing lifecycle, from strategy and content creation to optimization and campaign execution. What really shines with AIRA is that it’s easy to use and always within arm’s reach. As a digital companion, it works across your Kentico DXP, automating content on the go and providing task-specific guidance through an in-product conversational chat interface and intuitive in-context icons.  <figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://youtu.be/qxKEIGpJh2c"><div style="position:relative;padding-bottom:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:56.2493%"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qxKEIGpJh2c" style="position:absolute;width:100%;height:100%;top:0;left:0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></figure> ARIA offers <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.kentico.com/discover/blog/new-in-aira">a wide range of features,</a> from automatic translation and content tagging to campaign ideation, customer journey insights, instant product guidance, and more. It’s everything you expect from an AI copilot in your platform, and it’s secure and scalable on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/microsoft-azure">Microsoft Azure.</a> All of these capabilities have enriched AIRA as the foundation for Kentico’s Agentic Marketing Suite, serving as an automation engine for marketers. <h3 id="what’s-in-the-agentic-marketing-suite?">What’s in the Agentic Marketing Suite?</h3>Kentico is framing its new platform as marketing’s “virtual team,” enabling users to create, test, and optimize without switching tools. It helps you turn your ideas into action, simply by telling it what you want to do with natural language.In the Agentic Marketing Suite, AI “teammates” support your strategy, content creation, and optimization tasks. These agents function as dedicated virtual collaborators, designed to assist with specific tasks. You can add teammates as your needs evolve, from content applications to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generative_engine_optimization">Generative Engine Optimization (GEO),</a> sidestepping the need to hire specialists for every specialized role. And you get real outputs you can take to the bank – not just partial snippets that require additional heavy lifting.  <figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://youtu.be/HIUKAIFv_08"><div style="position:relative;padding-bottom:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:56.2493%"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HIUKAIFv_08" style="position:absolute;width:100%;height:100%;top:0;left:0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></figure> Among the first available in the Suite is the Content Strategist, which helps shape and refine content strategies through intelligent analysis and recommendations. Additional agents will be introduced as part of Kentico’s ongoing release, expanding support into areas such as campaign management, market analysis, and workflow optimization. Each addition will focus on improving speed, precision, and impact for marketing teams. The central benefit is clear: marketers can now accelerate their path from idea to execution. With automation as part of the technical DNA, the Suite can help mitigate the arduous back-and-forth between various marketing functions like SEO and UX. It’s also designed to work seamlessly with your content and business context – something Kentico’s VP of Product <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-tucek/">Debbie Tucek</a> has emphasized as a key tenet for making AI work for organizations. Embedded in Xperience by Kentico, the Agentic Marketing Suite is also imbued with many of the foundational competencies you would expect from a hardened system of authority – things like clear roles and permissions, and built-in safeguards that maintain reliable and performant automations ar scale. <h3 id="why-it-matters">Why it matters</h3>More than ever, marketers are in a high-pressure vice grip to perform. Plagued by tool fatigue, cognitive overload, and a growing anxiety around the pace of change with AI, they need reliable solutions to help them feel more in control while achieving measurable outcomes. Translation: they need real solutions, not hype.Kentico continues to prove itself as a go-to technology and dedicated partner for building, supporting, and managing enterprise workloads across a bevy of use cases. The platform has endeared itself to a growing number of partners, proving to be incredibly extensible – and committed to an ambitious innovation arc with its transition to Xperience by Kentico.Now, with its AI evolution in full thrust and its AIRA assistant driving positive user feedback, the introduction of an Agentic Marketing Suite holds real promise. I like the clear focus on agents personified as “teammates” that can accomplish high-utility tasks, and having a system of authority that helps facilitate the complete marketing lifecycle is key. With brands and teams struggling to keep up with change, having a strong, natively-integrated solution is becoming a more attractive play.Kentico has also been nurturing a strong global partnership channel, so agencies could provide another dimension of community resource and validation when it comes to harnessing these capabilities as part of a more holistic implementation. We'll be connecting with some of them as well. My recommendation: This is a fresh announcement, and we'll be doing a deeper dive into the features, capabilities, and licensing options. Stay tuned. But as a marketing suite, it looks sweet – and it's certainly a promising track for Kentico as it looks to expand its value in a tight market where the ROI surrounding AI and software investments is under the microscope. With a proven track record and a vetted entity in AIRA, they have all the right pieces to make this a solid offering and provide a stronger market alternative to upstream competitors. Marketers should bring a scrutinizing eye to any demo, but concentrate on the use cases for agent tasks and how they align with your specific needs. My guess is that Kentico’s elegant approach to UX could make adoption even easier.  <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3> <img style="width:34.15%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/01/logo_jday_hor.png" /><h4 id="joomladay-usa-2026"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.jdayusa.com/">JoomlaDay USA 2026</a></h4>April 29 - May 2, 2026 – Delray Beach, FloridaBe part of the Joomla community in one of the most iconic cities in the world! JoomlaDay USA 2026 is coming to Delray Beach, and you can join us for a dynamic event packed with insights, workshops, and networking opportunities. Learn from top Joomla experts and developers offering valuable insights and real-world solutions. Participate in interactive workshops and sessions and enhance your skills in Joomla management, development, design, and more. And connect with fellow Joomla enthusiasts, developers, and professionals from across the world.<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.jdayusa.com/"> Book your seats today.</a> <img style="width:30.06%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/01/cms-summit-26-logo.jpg" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-summit-26"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmssummit26">CMS Summit 26</a></h4>May 12-13, 2026 – Frankfurt, GermanyThe 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 Summit 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 Frankfurt, 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/cmssummit26/tickets">so book your seats today.</a> <img style="width:30.13%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/12/image-1765546475634.png" /><h4 id="umbraco-codegarden-2026"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://codegarden.umbraco.com/">Umbraco Codegarden 2026</a></h4>June 10–11, 2026 – Copenhagen, DKJoin us in Copenhagen (or online) for the biggest Umbraco conference in the world – two full days of learning, genuine conversations, and the kind of inspiration that brings business leaders, developers, and digital creators together. Codegarden 2026 is packed with both business and tech content, from deep-dive workshops and advanced sessions to real-world case studies and strategy talks. You’ll leave with ideas, strategies, and knowledge you can put into practice immediately. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://codegarden.umbraco.com/">Book your tickets today.</a> <img style="width:36.69%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/01/open-source-cms-26.jpg" /><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>October 20–21, 2026 – Utrecht, NetherlandsJoin 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>

Introducing the Agentic Marketing Suite: Kentico Extends its AI Strategy to Power Marketing Teams

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<hr /> Security will always be a critical pillar for modern software, particularly as more threats permeate the perimeter. But security is more than just a technology consideration, and requires the fortification of best practices and policies to complete the picture. As an open source content management system with multiple products in its ecosystem, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/umbraco">Umbraco</a> continues to invest in bolstering its own security posture – and just announced that it has achieved the globally recognized <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.iso.org/standard/27001">ISO/IEC 27001:2022</a> certification.According to Umbraco CEO <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/the-right-person-to-lead-umbraco-appoints-mats-persson-as-ceo-reflecting-growth-ahead">Mats Persson</a>, this certification reflects the CMS’s growth and adoption by larger, multinational enterprises and organizations operating in highly regulated industries. It also enhances an already strong foundation of security-focused benchmarks that the company has attained.  <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:36.25%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/01/image-1769732833624.png" /></figure>Umbraco CEO Mats Persson “We already implement robust information security processes to comply with the NIS2 Directive and EU Cyber Resilience Act,” Persson said. “ISO 27001 certification provides our global partners and customers with the reassurance that Umbraco follows international best practices governing the way that our products process, store, and protect sensitive data.”<h3 id="setting-a-higher-bar-for-security">Setting a higher bar for security</h3>ISO – the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.iso.org/standard/27001">International Organization for Standardization</a> – maintains a rigorous process for achieving ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation. It’s well-regarded as the world's best-known standard for information security management systems (ISMS), and defines the core requirements it must meet.The ISO/IEC 27001 standard provides companies of any size – from all sectors of activity – with guidance for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving an information security management system.ISO 27001 provides a proven framework for several key requirements, starting with identifying and managing security risks and ensuring consistent and documented security practices are in place. Recipients of the certification must also support accountability and transparency across their teams, and continuously review and update their security systems and practices as their products and organizations evolve.Meeting ISO/IEC 27001 means Umbraco has instituted a system to manage risks related to the security of data that is owned or handled by the company, and that its system respects all the best practices and principles outlined in this standard.<h3 id="enhancing-security-to-support-the-partner-ecosystem">Enhancing security to support the partner ecosystem</h3>The ISO/IEC 27001 certification applies specifically to Umbraco’s product organization and follows an extensive audit of its people, processes, and technologies by an independent security specialist. It validates the company's fierce commitment to maintaining the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive data within its products.While the accreditation is a technical achievement, the investment in the process was also part of Umbraco’s ongoing support for its digital agency partners, which are increasingly winning deals with global enterprises – particularly brands and organizations with large workloads handling sensitive data. This includes complex websites and e-commerce sites.“Gaining the ISO 27001 certification shows that independent auditors have scrutinized the processes used to develop, operate, and maintain Umbraco products, and confirmed that the company reviews and manages security risks on an ongoing basis,” Persson added. “This is a milestone on a continuous security journey.”<h3 id="why-it-matters">Why it matters</h3>Umbraco is already demonstrating its ambitions for global growth, and this ISO certification is further evidence of its drive towards the enterprise layer. Having already complied with the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.google.com/search?q=NIS2+Directive&amp;rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS763US764&amp;oq=NIS2+direct&amp;gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqDAgAEAAYQxiABBiKBTIMCAAQABhDGIAEGIoFMgYIARBFGDkyBwgCEAAYgAQyBwgDEAAYgAQyBwgEEAAYgAQyBwgFEAAYgAQyBwgGEAAYgAQyBwgHEAAYgAQyDAgIEAAYQxiABBiKBTIHCAkQABiABNIBCDMyMTFqMGo3qAIAsAIA&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiYhOmJg7KSAxV-1fACHXraPBYQgK4QegYIAQgAEAM">NIS2 Directive</a> (the comprehensive, EU-wide cybersecurity legislation that strengthens security for critical infrastructure and digital services) as well as the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/cyber-resilience-act">EU Cyber Resilience Act,</a> Umbraco is well-positioned to sell into regulated industries with the most important product of all: trust. <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3> <img style="width:34.15%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/01/logo_jday_hor.png" /><h4 id="joomladay-usa-2026"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.jdayusa.com/">JoomlaDay USA 2026</a></h4>April 29 - May 2, 2026 – Delray Beach, FloridaBe part of the Joomla community in one of the most iconic cities in the world! JoomlaDay USA 2026 is coming to Delray Beach, and you can join us for a dynamic event packed with insights, workshops, and networking opportunities. Learn from top Joomla experts and developers offering valuable insights and real-world solutions. Participate in interactive workshops and sessions and enhance your skills in Joomla management, development, design, and more. And connect with fellow Joomla enthusiasts, developers, and professionals from across the world.<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.jdayusa.com/"> Book your seats today.</a> <img style="width:30.06%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/01/cms-summit-26-logo.jpg" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-summit-26"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmssummit26">CMS Summit 26</a></h4>May 12-13, 2026 – Frankfurt, GermanyThe 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 Summit 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 Frankfurt, 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/cmssummit26/tickets">so book your seats today.</a> <img style="width:30.13%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/12/image-1765546475634.png" /><h4 id="umbraco-codegarden-2026"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://codegarden.umbraco.com/">Umbraco Codegarden 2026</a></h4>June 10–11, 2026 – Copenhagen, DKJoin us in Copenhagen (or online) for the biggest Umbraco conference in the world – two full days of learning, genuine conversations, and the kind of inspiration that brings business leaders, developers, and digital creators together. Codegarden 2026 is packed with both business and tech content, from deep-dive workshops and advanced sessions to real-world case studies and strategy talks. You’ll leave with ideas, strategies, and knowledge you can put into practice immediately. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://codegarden.umbraco.com/">Book your tickets today.</a> <img style="width:36.69%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/01/open-source-cms-26.jpg" /><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>October 20–21, 2026 – Utrecht, NetherlandsJoin 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>

Umbraco Lands ISO 27001 Certification, Bolstering Its Security Posture

Bot Brilliance: ai12z Launches Vibe Coding for Digital Assistants, Personalization, and Adaptive Web Pages

Beyond the Gate: CMS Kickoff 26 Explored the AI Frontier While Focusing on Fundamentals

<hr /> To borrow from poker: In 2026, AI is already becoming table stakes in the enterprise software game. And while many of the high-utility agentic capabilities I'm seeing are aimed at value, many features are converging – and in some cases, looking the same.One area that’s still nascent is the flourishing new class of app builders (think <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://base44.com/">Base44</a> or <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://replit.com/">Replit</a>). In the realm of vibe coding, they provide a great resource for prototyping by lowering the barrier for development. Now, almost anyone can build a software or business application with just an idea and a prompt, and that's becoming a popular marketing mantra.The problem? Many of these conjured experiments fall off the tracks before they ever reach production – stymied by underperforming code, poor maintainability, and a lack of alignment with enterprise data and security standards.During my recent keynote at the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff26">Boye &amp; Company CMS Kickoff 26</a> in St. Petersburg, I talked about the final frontier of adaptable UX in enterprise software – specifically in <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/what-is-a-content-management-system-cms">content management</a> and digital experience platforms. We’re beginning to see this take shape as some platforms are giving users more control and customization over things like visualization. In certain tools, there's even the presence of handy app studios for building curated dashboards and experiences. At the same time, they’re leveraging a performant, scalable, and secure foundation of an authoritative platform – ensuring compliance and accountability where it matters. This is where <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.domo.com/app-catalyst">Domo’s new App Catalyst</a> is making waves. Most of today’s AI app builders are optimized for speed, but miss the mark when it comes to managing data, logic, and governance across multiple systems. App Catalyst is designed for what happens after – when applications must be maintained, trusted, and scaled across an enterprise.As Domo’s Chief Technology Officer and EVP of Product <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/darenthayne/">Daren Thayne</a> said, vibe coding showed us how fast ideas can turn into software. But speed alone doesn’t create the durable value that enterprises need. <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:38%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/01/image-1769704595338.png" /></figure>Domo’s Chief Technology Officer and EVP of Product Daren Thayne “The next evolution is moving from raw code generation to composing applications that are governed by design and grounded in trusted data,” he said. “App Catalyst is an important step in that direction. It gives teams a production-ready foundation they can extend confidently, instead of starting from code that was never meant to scale.”App Catalyst is a reflection of Domo’s broader vision for the future of the intelligent enterprise, where AI does more than accelerate experimentation. It helps people and organizations compose scalable, governed applications that connect data, workflows, and people in a single, trusted platform. But AI is nothing if it can’t support the people using it. In my recent conversation with <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/backoff-on-the-ai-layoffs-domos-chris-willis-on-the-future-of-work-in-2026">Domo’s Chief Design Officer, Chris Willis</a>, we discussed the importance of human judgment when using AI tools and technologies. “The hard part is judgment, and that's an essential human skill," he told me. "I don't see models as possessing that.”At least not yet. But until then, Domo is powering its users with AI tools that are designed to give them more domain than ever before while easing the journey.Here’s a bit more on how App Catalyst works.<h3 id="rapid-app-building-for-the-enterprise">Rapid app building for the enterprise</h3>Unlike tools that focus solely on raw code generation, App Catalyst is really designed for enterprise applications. It helps you compose production-ready app frameworks that integrate with your existing data, governance, and security standards – ensuring that your apps are scalable, compliant, and ready to grow with your business. It also avoids the trap of accruing copious amounts of tech debt or tapping additional engineering resources.To be clear, App Catalyst is Domo-centric, leveraging its performant backbone. Users can describe the kind of app they want to build using natural language and instantly generate a functional framework that runs directly on their existing data in Domo. The resulting app foundation seamlessly integrates with Domo datasets and is deployed through Domo’s <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.domo.com/automation/low-code-app-development">App Studio</a> – which is designed for building analytics apps with low-code, drag-and-drop tools. It automatically inherits Domo’s governance and security model, including per-user data access permissions. If real data isn’t available yet, App Catalyst generates placeholder data so teams can start building immediately.At 50,000 feet, App Catalyst is telegraphing a shift in how organizations are building with AI in 2026 and beyond. Early vibe coding approaches might have focused on generating raw code quickly, but real enterprise impact requires a move toward composition over generation. App Catalyst is a foundation for that future, one where AI helps teams assemble governed, production-ready app frameworks that align with data access, security, and operational standards from the start. This evolution moves organizations away from fragile experiments and toward scalable app building that can actually grow with your business.<h3 id="from-prompt-to-production">From prompt to production</h3>Rather than attempting to deliver a finished application in one step, App Catalyst provides a strong, production-ready starting point. Teams can iterate quickly with live code generation, preview changes instantly, and publish apps with a single click, then continue refining and customizing the application to meet evolving requirements.As you might guess, App Catalyst brings real AI efficiency to its building experience. It’s frictionless prototyping, allowing you to rapidly ideate and iterate using natural language prompts – and move an idea to a functional app framework in minutes.The entire experience is self-service, so you can build a pro-code app foundation without extensive upfront engineering to get there. That means almost anyone, even users with no technical skills, can bring an app to life.Most importantly, App Catalyst provides fierce governance. This is a big one, as most enterprises have to ensure that their apps meet their internal compliance requirements. With App Catalyst, whatever you create automatically respects user-level data access and security policies.<figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:86.2%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/01/image-1769703695369.png" alt="A screenshot of a computer

AI-generated content may be incorrect." /></figure>Source: Domo website Getting started is super easy. Like other AI interfaces, you use a basic prompt to describe the app you’re looking to build. You’re then moved to a split-screen view as it renders before your eyes.On the left side, you get a breakdown of what App Catalyst generated. On the right, you can see what it created. And it's not just a dashboard or a view, but a true application – complete with models, text fields, and check boxes. Brass tacks: It usually takes two to five minutes to generate an app using App Catalyst, although times may vary. On <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.domo.com/app-catalyst">Domo’s website,</a> there’s a great demo video that walks you through the step-by-step process, but jumps over the rendering lag. So keep that in mind when you're test-driving the experience.  <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:78.12%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/01/image-1769703695361.png" alt="A screenshot of a computer

AI-generated content may be incorrect." /></figure>Source: Domo website You can also expand and build complete Domo App Studio apps, which can fit in with any other Studio components. If you’re more technical and you’re looking to customize your app further, you can make edits using Pro Code, which gives you direct access to the underlying HTML. <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:76.86%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/01/image-1769703695406.png" alt="A screenshot of a computer screen

AI-generated content may be incorrect." /></figure>Source: Domo website The finished product (in this case, a marketing intelligence command center) reflects the speed and efficacy of the App Catalyst framework. By removing the need for complex setups – or starting from scratch – you can focus on delivering value and avoid the morass of complex logistics. And you can keep on optimizing and refining your layouts and visualizations using the same natural language prompts. <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:82.27%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/01/image-1769703695336.png" alt="A screenshot of a computer

AI-generated content may be incorrect." /></figure>Source: Domo website As I already mentioned, you can connect to live datasets in Domo or play with dummy data to experiment with the capabilities. App Catalyst ensures your apps are functional and compliant, and automatically respects enterprise-grade governance and security controls. This includes per-user data access permissions, row-level permissions, and column-level masking, ensuring your apps are compliant and secure from the start.App Catalyst might initially appeal to product managers, developers, and savvy practitioners – enabling them to visualize requirements, demonstrate concepts to stakeholders, and prototype digital products quickly. But over time, Domo plans to expand these capabilities to empower business users to validate ideas, test market hypotheses, and explore what is possible with data-driven applications, all while reducing dependency on IT teams.<h3 id="the-verdict">The verdict</h3>Domo has always understood the value of data and how we, as individuals and teams, use and experience it. Making it actionable is the key – and with App Catalyst, they’re moving beyond the barriers of studio-grade customization tools and into the realm of true AI app creation. You can describe your app vision in plain language, and the AI handles all the heavy lifting.My recommendation: While App Catalyst will likely appeal to more technical users (particularly those who are already customizing aspects of their Domo experience), its natural language interface will make it accessible to ambitious low-code/no-code users. That said, enterprise teams should build testing and experimentation paradigms to ensure performant outcomes – and develop general policies and best practices around app generation within their organization’s environment. The big upside: as Domo expands these capabilities, App Catalyst will likely become even more reliant and user-friendly for business users who want to build apps without burdening IT. Definitely worth a test-drive.  <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3> <img style="width:30.06%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/01/cms-summit-26-logo.jpg" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-summit-26"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmssummit26">CMS Summit 26</a></h4>May 12-13, 2026 – Frankfurt, GermanyThe 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 Summit 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 Frankfurt, 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/cmssummit26/tickets">so book your seats today.</a> <img style="width:30.13%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/12/image-1765546475634.png" /><h4 id="umbraco-codegarden-2026"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://codegarden.umbraco.com/">Umbraco Codegarden 2026</a></h4>June 10–11, 2026 – Copenhagen, DKJoin us in Copenhagen (or online) for the biggest Umbraco conference in the world – two full days of learning, genuine conversations, and the kind of inspiration that brings business leaders, developers, and digital creators together. Codegarden 2026 is packed with both business and tech content, from deep-dive workshops and advanced sessions to real-world case studies and strategy talks. You’ll leave with ideas, strategies, and knowledge you can put into practice immediately. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://codegarden.umbraco.com/">Book your tickets today.</a> <img style="width:40.76%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/01/open-source-cms-26.jpg" /><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>October 20–21, 2026 – Utrecht, NetherlandsJoin 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>

From AI idea to production-ready app in minutes? Meet Domo’s new App Catalyst

Hard? Hardly. Drupal CMS 2.0 evolves open source content management with AI, visual building – and simplicity

Shopify - The global commerce platform

Build your business with Shopify to sell online, offline, and everywhere in between.

The global commerce platform

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