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contentstack Article

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/critics/andycohen">Andy Cohen</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/critics/deane"> </a>is the founding architect of Sitecore XM Cloud. He is VP/Chief Architect at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.altudo.co/">Altudo</a>, and a CMS Critic contributor. <hr /> When people talk about personalization, they often mean “the right content to the right person at the right time.” That idea is now past tense.I have watched this shift play out up close, from <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/sitecore">Sitecore’s</a> early rules-based personalization, through <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/contentstack">Contentstack’s</a> use of edge-based personalization in a composable architecture, to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/optimizely">Optimizely’s</a> launch of Opal, a system of marketing AI agents. Personalization no longer stops at swapping content on a page. It now reaches into the interaction itself, and soon, into the relationships agents form with one another.<h3 id="when-agents-adapt-to-us">When Agents Adapt to Us</h3>That shift, from “what” to “how,” is where the major CMS players are already moving, and you can see it in the different bets they're making:<ul><li>Contentstack has put its weight behind <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/livin-on-the-edge-contentstacks-new-adaptive-dxp-might-just-rock-your-world">EDGE</a>, which they call a hyper-personalization platform. It blends their headless CMS with a real-time CDP, AI, and automation. The goal is simple but ambitious: deliver one-to-one experiences in the moment and at scale. Because it is composable, brands can adapt interactions without locking themselves into rigid patterns. What strikes me about EDGE is that it reframes personalization as something continuous, not a campaign you set and forget.</li><li>Optimizely has taken another route with <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/optimizely-opal-gets-supercharged-for-agentic-ai-powering-infinite-use-cases-for-marketers">Opal</a>. Instead of a single assistant, Opal is built as a collection of agents that act like members of a marketing team. There is a campaign manager agent, a personalization advisor, a market researcher, and more. With the 2.0 release, Optimizely put the emphasis on letting these agents collaborate and run multi-step workflows across content, data, and experimentation. I have seen teams spend weeks coordinating those same steps manually. Opal hints at a world where marketing execution is handled by an ensemble of digital teammates who can plan, act, and adjust together.</li><li>Sitecore has focused on bringing assistance directly into daily work. Through <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sitecore.com/products/sitecore-stream">Stream</a>, they have introduced AI copilots that support authors and marketers in real time as they draft and optimize campaigns. On top of that, Sitecore’s partnership with <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/sitecore-sharpens-ai-focus-with-strategic-partnership-and-new-leadership-appointments">Gradial</a> shows how agentic workflows can extend into campaign execution. It is not just about smarter editors or quicker drafts. It is about agents that can carry intent through to delivery and adapt along the way. For a company that has lived for years in the world of static content publishing, that is a meaningful step forward.</li></ul>None of these approaches feels like a gimmick.They are different answers to the same problem: personalization is no longer about what content you are shown, it is about how the interaction unfolds. Whether that happens through hyper-personalization at the edge, through orchestrated marketing agents, or via copilots and execution partners, the shift is real and already in motion.<h3 id="what-nondeterminism-really-means">What Nondeterminism Really Means</h3>Most software behaves like math: 2 + 2 always equals 4. Generative AI does not. Ask it to draft a thank-you note and you will get three different answers, all plausible, none identical. That variability is what we call nondeterminism.It is the very thing that makes AI feel creative, but also the reason it needs personalization to stay useful. As <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://parivedasolutions.com/perspectives/managing-the-non-deterministic-nature-of-generative-ai/">Pariveda Solutions points out</a>, nondeterminism is what makes AI flexible and creative, but it also introduces governance challenges that remain unresolved. In my own work with <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/getting-loud-with-xm-cloud-sitecore-reports-100-growth-of-its-ai-powered-cloud-based-cms">XM Cloud,</a> I have seen how unpredictable outcomes can be a feature if the system adapts well – and a liability if it does not.<h3 id="when-agents-adapt-to-each-other">When Agents Adapt to Each Other</h3>The next frontier is agents adapting not just to us but to each other. Nondeterminism multiplies when two autonomous systems interact. They need ways to converge on workable outcomes.Sometimes that looks like adjusting communication style, where one agent is structured and terse, another free-form and verbose. Sometimes, it means learning to accept differences in task style, such as fast approximation versus cautious step-by-step reasoning. Other times it's about role negotiation: who leads, who validates, who escalates.And sometimes it is memory. Agents do not just adapt in the moment; they remember. That memory can look like a grudge. A search agent that hallucinated last time will get fact-checked the next. A procurement agent that botched a deal may face stricter oversight. Even first impressions stick. If an agent’s very first hand-off is sloppy, the other agent may never fully trust it, no matter how good the later work becomes.Humans behave the same way. In corporate life, one bad kickoff meeting can color a partnership for months. Agents will carry those patterns too.<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.deepset.ai/blog/ai-agents-and-deterministic-workflows-a-spectrum"> Deepset calls this the “spectrum of determinism to nondeterminism</a>.” I call it relationship management.<h3 id="everyday-illustrations">Everyday Illustrations</h3>Picture a grocery agent told to buy apples if they are $0.99 a pound. A deterministic system comes back empty because they are $1.09. An adaptive one checks with you, “They are a little higher today. Should I buy anyway?” That is useful, until the store’s own agent learns to nudge yours into paying even more.Or ride-hailing. You set a $20 target. The price surges to $23. Do you want your agent to decline, wait, or decide on its own? What happens when the ride-share’s agent starts upselling yours into priority pickup at $28?Or travel. You say, “Book me a flight under $500.” The system finds none. A flexible agent returns with, “There is one at $525 with better times. Should I grab it?” Helpful, but it shows how quickly rules can bend.In the enterprise, this gets thornier. Procurement policies might cap software licenses at $50 per seat. A deterministic agent halts the deal. A personalized one negotiates to $55 and closes it. That looks like a win until you realize the vendor’s agent deliberately anchored higher, knowing yours would flex upward.Healthcare raises the stakes even more. You ask for an appointment with your doctor next week. A rigid agent says none available. A personalized one offers a nurse practitioner tomorrow or a specialist in two weeks. That looks like a better experience, but it could also push you toward higher-margin services instead of the care you really wanted.<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.salesforce.com/blog/deterministic-ai/">Salesforce has written about this exact problem</a> of when to script agents tightly and when to let them roam. I see it every day in delivery projects. Too rigid and you frustrate users. Too loose and you open the door to manipulation.<h3 id="agents-that-carry-“you”-with-them">Agents That Carry “You” With Them</h3>Now push it further. Imagine your agent not only executes tasks but carries your personality footprint into every interaction. If you are cost-sensitive, it pushes harder. If you are time-poor, it pays more for speed. If you are detail-driven, it double-checks everything.What if you could swap personas entirely?<ul><li>"Frugal Andy" does the grocery shopping</li><li>"Executive Andy" books the flights</li><li>"Playful Andy" explores games and hobbies.</li></ul>Your agent would not only personalize to you. It would personalize as you.But there is risk in this. If the other agent knows who you are or which persona you are using, it can adapt back. That can be powerful when aligned with your goals, but it can also be exploited. Imagine a vendor agent that recognizes executive mode and steers you toward premium packages.This is not hypothetical. Optimizely’s Opal agents already act like different team members depending on context. Contentstack’s Brand Kit lets you define voice profiles and store guidelines so that every AI-generated artifact reflects your identity. Sitecore’s Stream copilots are designed to guide content creators in real time, aligning their work with brand and role expectations.These are early signals of a future where agents carry pieces of us, including quirks, preferences, and even biases, into every exchange.<h3 id="why-this-matters">Why This Matters</h3>This is why nondeterminism is not a flaw but the feature. Deterministic systems did not need personalization. There was only one output. Nondeterministic systems can go in many directions, and personalization is what prevents chaos.The best metaphor I know is jazz. Musicians improvising do not know exactly where the others will go. They adapt, they respond, they personalize their playing to the group. The music works not because it is scripted but because the players trust each other enough to bend and flex.<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/quantumblack/our-insights/seizing-the-agentic-ai-advantage">McKinsey has argued</a> that this adaptability is the defining advantage of agentic AI. From what I have seen in publishing systems, SaaS cost optimization, and large-scale CMS migrations, I agree. The resilience comes not from rigid plans but from the ability to adapt in context.<h3 id="what-leaders-should-prepare-for">What Leaders Should Prepare For</h3>Leaders should focus on their readiness in key areas. For example, trust frameworks must extend beyond human-agent interactions into agent-to-agent ecosystems. Standards cannot stay as fixed APIs; they need flexibility built in. Identity management has to protect personality profiles and alter egos from misuse. And agents must be able to remember not just what they did for us, but how they worked with others.<h3 id="the-future-of-personalization">The Future of Personalization</h3>Personalization started with content. It evolved into experiences. Now, it is moving into interactions – first with humans and then with other agents.If we get this right, nondeterminism will not be something to suppress. It will be the source of resilience, adaptability, and creativity. The companies that thrive will not just personalize their websites. They will personalize their agents. Those agents will adapt to us, and to each other, in ways that reflect who we are or even who we choose to be.And like humans, they will remember. First impressions will matter. Grudges may form. And relationships between agents will start to look a lot like relationships between people. <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3> <img style="width:31.61%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/08/storyblok-joyconf-2025-logo.jpg" /><h4 id="storyblok-joyconf-2025"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://joyconf.storyblok.com/">Storyblok JoyConf 2025</a></h4>October 14-15, 2025 – Amsterdam, Netherlands November 4, 2025 – New York, NY November 6, 2025 – Los Angeles, CAJoin us at JoyConf 2025, where the future of content meets the people shaping it. Built for developers, marketers, and digital innovators, this free conference goes way beyond product updates or yet another strategy playbook. It’s where you’ll get inspired, get real, and get connected – to ideas, to the community, and to what’s possible when you build joyfully. Whether you're building lightning-fast frontends or launching cross-channel campaigns, this is where content becomes connection and collaboration becomes second nature. Come for the talks. Stay for the community. Leave with joy. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://joyconf.storyblok.com/">Save your spot.</a> <img style="width:28.9%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/08/sitecore-symposium-2025.jpg" /><h4 id="sitecore-symposium-2025"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://symposium.sitecore.com/">Sitecore Symposium 2025</a></h4>November 3-5, 2025 – Orlando, FLAt Sitecore Symposium, you’ll learn how to meet your customers where they are – across channels, moments, and touchpoints that didn’t exist a year ago. You’ll hear how the boldest brands in the world are transforming content into outcomes and creating experiences that are fast, relevant, and human. Join 1,500 marketers, digital leaders, and technologists in Orlando to see what’s possible when personalization scales, AI accelerates creativity, and trust becomes your competitive edge. This is the Third Wave of the Internet. And this is your moment to lead in it. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://symposium.sitecore.com/">Get your tickets today.</a> <img style="width:31.44%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/08/cms-kickoff-2026-logo.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-2026"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff26">CMS Kickoff 2026</a></h4>January 13-14, 2026 – St. Petersburg, FLMeet industry leaders at our fourth annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global CMS event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff26">so secure your tickets today.</a>

Agent-to-Agent Personalization: Trust, First Impressions, and the 'Grudge' Factor

andycohen

Controlling the Agentic Climb: Contentstack is Elevating Adaptive Experiences with its AXP Vision

matt-garrepy

<h4 id="-"> </h4><h4 id="highlights">Highlights</h4>You’ll learn about how AI transforms enterprise CMS platforms.<ul><li>Automation: AI CMS streamlines tagging, metadata, and content workflows</li><li>Insights: Predictive analytics guide content planning and performance optimization</li><li>Personalization: Real-time insights enable the creation of tailored experiences</li><li>Compliance: Guardrails ensure governance and security at scale</li></ul>Adopt an <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.contentstack.com/blog/all-about-headless/content-management-artificial-intelligence-content-ops?utm_campaign=&amp;utm_medium=paid-affiliate&amp;utm_source=cms-critic&amp;utm_content=smarter-content-management-with-an-ai-cms">AI CMS</a> to drive efficiency, insights, and smarter engagement across your enterprise.<hr /> Content management today is not what it was in the 90s or early 2000s. The modern customer values personalized interactions. They are also more tech-savvy, privacy-aware and expect seamless experiences across all channels.Traditional CMS platforms lack the speed, agility and flexibility required to deliver these demands. That makes them redundant for the needs of modern B2B customers. This is why an AI CMS, usually <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.contentstack.com/resources/report/complete-headless-cms-guide?utm_campaign=&amp;utm_medium=paid-affiliate&amp;utm_source=cms-critic&amp;utm_content=smarter-content-management-with-an-ai-cms">headless</a>, is becoming more popular.An AI-powered CMS enables <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.contentstack.com/blog/personalization/how-can-personalization-enhance-your-brand?utm_campaign=&amp;utm_medium=paid-affiliate&amp;utm_source=cms-critic&amp;utm_content=smarter-content-management-with-an-ai-cms">real-time personalization</a>, automates repetitive tasks, and powers predictive analytics. It integrates AI into content workflows, enabling faster content publishing while improving accuracy and user experience. This shift is changing how large organizations think about content management.<h3 id="what-makes-a-cms-intelligent?">What makes a CMS intelligent?</h3>An intelligent CMS is a content management system that learns from data and adapts content based on behavior and context. It also offers automation — you can create, optimize and publish hyper-personalized content at scale. With traditional CMS platforms, you are bogged down with manual inputs, built-in templates and predefined workflows. An AI CMS does not have these limitations. They are built on headless and API-first principles, making them flexible to handle modern content needs. Its key features:<ul><li>Machine learning for predictive analytics</li><li>Automated tagging and categorization via AI</li><li>AI-powered search and discovery</li><li>AI-assisted authoring workflows and predictive content performance insights</li></ul> <hr /> Overcome traditional CMS issues with Contentstack Are you tired of slow development times and rising costs due to legacy monolithic suites? Contentstack offers a modern, component-based solution designed for the needs of today's enterprises. Discover agility and improved ROI. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.contentstack.com/request-demo?utm_campaign=&amp;utm_medium=paid-affiliate&amp;utm_source=cms-critic&amp;utm_content=smarter-content-management-with-an-ai-cms">Request a demo</a> to learn more. <hr /><h3 id="benefits-of-ai-powered-cms-for-large-enterprises">Benefits of AI-powered CMS for large enterprises</h3>An AI CMS offers speed and flexibility. When a<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.contentstack.com/blog/all-about-headless/cms-change-management-best-practices-for-seamless-enterprise-implementation"> </a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.contentstack.com/blog/all-about-headless/cms-change-management-best-practices-for-seamless-enterprise-implementation?utm_campaign=&amp;utm_medium=paid-affiliate&amp;utm_source=cms-critic&amp;utm_content=smarter-content-management-with-an-ai-cms">modern CMS is implemented with proper change management</a> practices to support its adoption, it also supports better governance, data-driven optimization, and automation. Here are other benefits.<ul><li>Faster content creation and delivery: AI authors’ workflows, ensuring faster editing. It applies the brand’s guidelines, eliminating human errors. Also, its automated tagging, categorization, and metadata generation feature ensures you can publish faster.</li><li>Smarter personalization at scale: An AI CMS tracks data in real-time and adjusts content for relevant audience segments. Delivering on-brand content ensures you can convert more and engage your audience better.</li><li>More efficient search and content discovery: Search and discovery feature powered by conversational AI enables editors and marketers find content quickly, even in large, complex repositories.</li><li>Data-driven optimization: An AI CMS also supports predictive content performance insights, enabling teams to be proactive.</li><li>Improved compliance and governance: An AI-powered CMS can flag missing disclosures, ensure accessibility standards, and apply consistent terminology.</li></ul><h3 id="how-ai-is-transforming-content-management-within-enterprise-cms">How AI is transforming content management within enterprise CMS</h3>AI integration into content workflows goes beyond using generative AI to create content. It can be applied in other areas, such as SEO, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.contentstack.com/resources/report/enterprise-ai-search-playbook?utm_campaign=&amp;utm_medium=paid-affiliate&amp;utm_source=cms-critic&amp;utm_content=smarter-content-management-with-an-ai-cms">AIO/GEO</a>, personalization, and predictive analytics. Here are some of those ways. <h4 id="content-intelligence-for-planning">Content intelligence for planning</h4>AI scans competitor content, search queries, and your own content library. That allows you to identify gaps and opportunities in your content strategy and that of your competitors. Based on that insight, AI can also suggest high-performing topics, and align new content with buyer journeys, so content production supports pipeline and sales goals. <h4 id="ai-assisted-content-creation-and-editing">AI-assisted content creation and editing</h4>With generative AI, you can generate content drafts, outlines and briefs. The AI is trained on your company’s audience persona, style guide and brand voice — hence, it can enforce the right tone of voice and style across your content. <h4 id="automated-content-tagging-and-classification">Automated content tagging and classification</h4>AI-powered DAMs integrated in an intelligent CMS can scan your assets and suggest tags. It can further map those assets into your enterprise taxonomy, ensuring your assets fit into a structured content model. By doing so, marketers can easily search and reuse content. <h4 id="personalization-at-scale">Personalization at Scale</h4>It is no secret that enterprise customers prioritize brands that deliver tailored, one-to-one experiences. You can integrate a real-time CDP to track customer data and create profiles. Then, use an AI-powered CMS to analyze the data and recommend the most relevant content. That way, you can tailor experiences to different accounts, industries or decision-makers. <h4 id="seo-and-aio-optimization-support">SEO and AIO optimization support</h4>AI can analyze search intent and suggest relevant keywords, topics and FAQs. It can be used to find internal linking opportunities, write meta titles and create schema markup. In essence, it becomes your SEO/AIO co-pilot, enabling you to find opportunities, match content to audience persona and optimize existing content. <h4 id="knowledge-assistant-for-internal-teams">Knowledge assistant for internal teams</h4>Internal teams can also deploy AI-powered search and Q&amp;A over enterprise content libraries. That way, teams within the organizations, such as sales and product teams, can quickly find answers backed by approved sources. <h4 id="governance-and-compliance-guardrails">Governance and compliance guardrails</h4>AI can be deployed to manage policy and style enforcement, as well as regulatory compliance checks. AI guardrails act like a compliance officer inside your CMS. By doing so, it prevents risky or off-brand content from being published. It also ensures that assets are safe, accurate and ready for regulation.<h3 id="governance,-security,-and-compliance-in-an-ai-cms">Governance, security, and compliance in an AI CMS</h3>AI CMS platforms automate governance and security processes. However, team leaders still need to set approval workflows that AI should follow. They must apply built-in permissions to allow access to specific authorized users who can check and approve AI outputs.The CMS offers intelligent security that can flag suspicious usage and trigger reminders for compliance audits. Still, content teams must keep to data privacy and safety regulations, such as GDPR and CCPA. They must also verify AI-generated metadata and tags to ensure compliance requirements are met and use audit logs to track changes made by AI features.<figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:83.96%"><img src="https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/blt7359e2a55efae483/blt49eb52225d026692/68a9891e5075c355e79fb708/image.png" alt="AI CMS features compared to a traditional CMS" /></figure><h3 id="ai-integrations-that-transform-content-workflows">AI integrations that transform content workflows</h3>An intelligent CMS supports AI integration, and that goes beyond automation. It makes your workflows smarter, so you can produce and publish content with more consistency and speed. Here are specific AI integrations that enable that.<ul><li>Automated AI tagging and categorization</li><li>AI-powered search and discovery</li><li>Automated metadata generation</li><li>Automated A/B testing for content variants  </li></ul>These features enable enterprises to reduce repetitive work and focus teams on high-impact, creative and strategic tasks. <hr /> Fast-track digital experiences with Contentstack Need to create digital experiences quickly? Contentstack's content and editorial engine enables you to reach new markets and create digital experiences faster. Manage content with ease and speed. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.contentstack.com/try-for-free?utm_campaign=&amp;utm_medium=paid-affiliate&amp;utm_source=cms-critic&amp;utm_content=smarter-content-management-with-an-ai-cms">Start your free trial today</a>. <hr /><h3 id="comparing-ai-cms-options">Comparing AI CMS options</h3>Most CMS platforms now embed some sort of AI integration or service. However, that, on its own, does not necessarily make such CMSes intelligent or AI-driven in the actual sense. Here are some of the top AI CMS you will find today.<ul><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.contentstack.com/?utm_campaign=&amp;utm_medium=paid-affiliate&amp;utm_source=cms-critic&amp;utm_content=smarter-content-management-with-an-ai-cms">Contentstack</a>: Contentstack’s AI CMS supports intelligent content workflows and scalable personalization. It is API-first and headless, offering native AI integration, making it ideal for omnichannel delivery.</li><li>Arvow: Arvow uses AI to automate the content creation and publishing process. It offers AI-driven features like content syndication, Google indexing, and SEO-optimized writing. It supports high-quality content at scale targeted at B2B companies.</li><li>Strapi: Strapi is an open-source headless CMS that supports the integration of AI tools and services for seamless content management, optimization, and delivery.</li><li>Adobe Experience Manager: This enterprise CMS uses AI to personalize content, automate workflows, and support data-driven insights. It supports content creation using its built-in generative AI.</li></ul>While other AI-powered CMS platforms offer great features and support AI integration, Contentstack comes with AI baked in. It offers native AI integrations that require less customization, making it easier to roll out across large enterprises.<h3 id="case-study">Case study</h3> <img style="width:36.22%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/02/image-1771247859224.png" /><h4 id="golfbreaks">Golfbreaks</h4>Golfbreaks struggled with managing content across multiple international markets. This prompted them to sign up for Contentstack's <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.contentstack.com/academy/content/ai-accelerator?utm_campaign=&amp;utm_medium=paid-affiliate&amp;utm_source=cms-critic&amp;utm_content=smarter-content-management-with-an-ai-cms">AI Accelerator</a>. The training exposed them to the benefits of the AI assistant, brand kit and automation tool. The solutions automated translation workflows, content optimization, and personalization rules. Today, they can launch on-brand content and campaigns faster than ever.Golfbreaks Digital Product Owner Jack Simkins said, "With Contentstack’s help, our AI use case has been expanded into a much more powerful tool that’s helping us to save time and move faster."<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.contentstack.com/resources/case-study/golfbreaks-leverages-contentstacks-ai-accelerator-for-78-faster-time-to-market?utm_campaign=&amp;utm_medium=paid-affiliate&amp;utm_source=cms-critic&amp;utm_content=smarter-content-management-with-an-ai-cms">Learn more about Golfbreaks' success</a> with Contentstack’s AI.<h2 id="faq-section">FAQ section</h2> <h4 id="what-is-the-difference-between-a-headless-cms-and-an-ai-cms?">What is the difference between a headless CMS and an AI CMS?</h4>A headless CMS is a type of CMS where the architecture separates content from its presentation. So, you have a backend that you can connect to any front-end framework via APIs. An AI CMS is a CMS with built-in AI integration to automate and enhance content creation, personalization, and management. <h4 id="is-an-ai-cms-secure-for-enterprise-use?">Is an AI CMS secure for enterprise use?</h4>An AI CMS is considered secure if it features enterprise-grade security, role-based permissions, audit logging, and compliance capabilities. The security of an intelligent CMS also depends on how AI integrations are configured and whether they comply with privacy laws. <h4 id="what-skills-do-teams-need-to-work-with-an-ai-cms?">What skills do teams need to work with an AI CMS?</h4>Content teams should understand content strategy, governance rules, and how to review AI outputs for accuracy and compliance. Technical teams may need to understand AI prompts, workflow automation, and how to manage AI integrations.<h3 id="learn-more">Learn more</h3>AI CMS platforms are redefining enterprise content management. They automate repetitive work, improve personalization and support data-driven decision-making. However, most CMS platforms only support AI integration — they are not truly AI-powered in the real sense.This is where Contentstack stands out. With native AI integrations, you get an intelligent CMS right out of the box. You do not need extra configurations or endless integrations with third-party AI solutions. If you are serious about leveraging AI for smarter content management, then Contentstack offers the best solution in the market today. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.contentstack.com/request-demo?utm_campaign=&amp;utm_medium=paid-affiliate&amp;utm_source=cms-critic&amp;utm_content=smarter-content-management-with-an-ai-cms">Talk to us</a> today to get started.

The intelligent CMS: Smarter content management with an AI CMS

contentstack

Delivering hyper-personalized B2B content with a modern CMS

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/critics/conor-egan">Conor Egan</a> is SVP Product at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/contentstack">Contentstack</a> and a CMS Critic Contributor.<hr /> In order for <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.contentstack.com/platforms/ai">AI</a> to become a truly revolutionary force in life and business, we’ll have to trust it with more than just our grunt work. We’ll have to outsource some of our decision-making as well.That’s where agentic AI comes in.An AI agent is a system you can interact with in plain language that has some amount of capabilities it can manage, including taking actions on your behalf. The simplest AI agents are “helper” agents, such as support agents or virtual assistants. (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/504767/tragic-life-clippy-worlds-most-hated-virtual-assistant">Clippy</a> was the godfather of this sort of thing). You can ask these agents to book your plane tickets or revise some text, or which barbecue grill would best suit your needs. Other AI agents run when you're not doing anything. They’re constantly listening, and can take some action if they think it's necessary.That makes them close to what we used to call automations. The key difference between an automation and an agent is that the agent has more than one function, and can make its own decisions and interpretations of what it’s supposed to do.  Here are a few thoughts about the value of agentic AI as a force multiplier and facilitator, and why companies that are replacing human beings with AI agents are thinking about this technology the wrong way.<h3 id="why-should-we-use-ai-agents?">Why should we use AI agents?</h3>Not all tasks fit neatly into a simple binary. Think of a governance agent that’s supposed to enforce brand guidelines or highlight when content should get another review. You might want more complexity in its output than a cut-and-dried yes or no. Your AI agent might decide that the problems with a piece of content are egregious enough to block it from being published, or that it needs someone else to review it, or there’s some other review state it should go into. Based on what’s happening, it might decide which tools to apply for the job. There are multiple paths that an AI agent can follow, and it has some agency in deciding what they are. In the Old World, you'd have to account for each of those branching paths, and if the scenario didn't fall into one, then nothing would happen. The advantage of AI agents is that they’re equipped to deal with situations they’ve never seen before. They’re not forced to operate within what they were “programmed” to do.Of course, there's a time-saving aspect as well. Humans are very expensive, and compute is not, so there may be certain repetitive tasks that an agent is better equipped for in terms of resource efficiency.For example, sifting through a great amount of content, summarizing things, identifying outliers — these are all things that can be pretty time-consuming for humans to do. AI agents can do these tasks quickly, and even help you identify opportunities that you might not have discovered yourself.<h3 id="contentstack’s-rule-for-ai-development">Contentstack’s rule for AI development</h3>As <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.contentstack.com/">Contentstack</a> prepares to roll out new agentic AI features this fall, our Product team has benefitted from a simple guiding principle: If it doesn’t deliver significant user value, we don’t do it.So, what is “user value”? In my opinion, it’s anything that falls into one of these three buckets:Number one, it does something that you're already doing, but 10 times better. For example, instead of sifting through all my data and having to hand-identify all the audiences, an AI agent can break up my audiences based on lookalike models. I could have done this myself, but with AI I can do it (at least) 10X faster.Number two, it allows me to do something that I literally could not do before. It's not just helping me with what I could have done otherwise. The AI enables some net new capability that was not possible before. And number three, it can turn a regular user into a power user. Let’s say we wanted to add natural language search in our CMS, so you could type in and find what you’re looking for without having to figure it out through advanced search. Rather than having to become a search power user or rely on your developers, the AI functionality gives you the same abilities as the most skilled users of the platform. If an AI concept does not meet one or more of these criteria, then it's not worth our team’s investment. And by the way, none of those criteria boil down to “it allows your company to cut the size of its workforce.” Which brings me to my next point…<h3 id="why-ai-agents-should-enhance-human-effort,-not-replace-it">Why AI agents should enhance human effort, not replace it</h3>So far, companies have taken a couple of different approaches with agentic AI. One is trying to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/dude-wheres-my-job-conor-egan-shj6e/">literally replace people</a>. So, if you have someone whose job is to do X, they’ll seek to create an agent that does exactly that.But I think we get a lot more value from AI agents when we use them as facilitators, not workforce replacers. You hired smart people to use their talents, right? If that’s the case, you should probably get rid of all the things they have to do in the course of the day that don't differentiate you and your brand. Are there capabilities that you can give a team member via an agent that provides a force multiplier or allows them to provide more value? Start there.We’re quickly entering a world where AI will be able to put marketing on autopilot. It will create the campaigns, it will write the content, generate the assets, etc. And my question is always, “If everybody has the exact same tools, how is a great marketer going to beat a good marketer?” Because if you have a system that can spit out average content and everybody's doing it, things are going to be very noisy.It's not that AI can't help you develop novel experiences. But if you're creating content for other humans, then humans need to serve as the judge of taste. When AI tools are generating the same campaign ideas, the most successful marketers are the ones who will be better at deciding which ideas to pursue. <h3 id="looking-ahead:-ai-agents-will-eat-more-tasks-from-the-bottom-up-(and-that’s-a-good-thing)">Looking ahead: AI agents will eat more tasks from the bottom up (and that’s a good thing)</h3>Whether it's industrial farming or computers, new technology always eats jobs from the bottom up. It could be literal jobs that you have to do, or those “jobs” could be abstraction layers.In the early days of code, we were interacting directly with the hardware itself and writing in ones and zeros. Then we added operating systems, and now you can use a mouse, which is a layer on top of an operating system. We used to have to manage our infrastructure by taking racks to a server farm and plugging in the cables, and installing the software, and now we have cloud services. We used to write JavaScript and HTML by hand. Then we developed code frameworks where you don't even need to know the underlying JavaScript. AI is the latest layer on top of all this. Soon, you won't necessarily need to know how to use Contentstack. Our platform is an abstraction of an abstraction of a database that you used to have in order to do all these jobs. AI agents are simply the most recent iteration of what technology has been doing for a long time. The real purpose of AI — just like all the advancements that came before it — is to get you to the value part faster. You can now spend most of the hours in your day doing the high-value things that are going to have an impact, and less time figuring out how to learn the software. <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3> <figure class="image image-style-block-align-left image_resized" style="width:28.08%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/10/image-1759840698475.png" /></figure><h4 id="raise:-lifting-content-into-the-future-with-agentic-cms"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://kontent.ai/events-and-webinars/raise/">RAISE: Lifting Content into the Future with Agentic CMS</a></h4>November 11, 2025 – London, UKJoin Kontent.ai at RAISE: Lifting Content into the Future with Agentic CMS, a premier free event for forward-thinking marketing and technology leaders shaping the way today’s most ambitious brands create and deliver content. Expect bold ideas, discover innovative strategies, engage with industry leaders, and gain insights that will lift your content strategy to new heights. At RAISE, you'll learn how to deliver faster, more engaging content experiences while AI does the busywork of audits, compliance, and localization with Agentic CMS, built to give you and your teams more time on creativity that matters. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://kontent.ai/events-and-webinars/raise/">Reserve your seat today.</a> <img style="width:29.67%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/10/image-1761136749603.png" /><h4 id="live-webinar:-can-we-ever-get-composable-without-complexity?"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://umbraco.com/webinar-cmscritic">Live Webinar: Can We Ever Get Composable Without Complexity?</a></h4>November 20, 2025 – 6 PM (CET) / 5 PM (GMT) / 12 PM (EST)Composable architecture promised to simplify digital experience creation by giving organizations the flexibility to combine the technologies that met their needs. But for many enterprises, it’s done the opposite, which has led to complex integrations, spiraling costs, and what some are now referring to as composable regret. In this live conversation, Umbraco CEO Mats Persson joins Matt Garrepy, Chief Content Officer at CMS Critic, for a candid exploration of what went wrong in the first wave of composable and what needs to change. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://umbraco.com/webinar-cmscritic">Register for the webinar.</a> <img style="width:29.08%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/10/image-1761594434824.png" /><h4 id="typo3-conference-2025"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://t3con.typo3.com/">TYPO3 Conference 2025</a></h4>November 25–27, 2025 – Düsseldorf, GermanyT3CON is the premier annual event for web professionals, developers, marketers, and decision-makers. Much more than just a TYPO3-focused conference, T3CON spotlights the latest trends, innovations, and leaders shaping the future of content management, covering everything from grassroots initiatives to new technologies, strategies, and success stories. The event is designed to empower businesses and organizations with the knowledge and tools they need to thrive in the evolving digital landscape. The conference culminates in an awards ceremony celebrating the best TYPO3 projects across various industries. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://t3con.typo3.com/">Get your ticket.</a> <img style="width:31.44%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/08/cms-kickoff-2026-logo.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-2026"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff26">CMS Kickoff 2026</a></h4>January 13-14, 2026 – St. Petersburg, FLMeet industry leaders at our fourth annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global CMS event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff26">so secure your tickets today.</a>

Agentic AI 101: What's an AI agent and when should they be used?

conor-egan

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/critics/nishant-patel">Nishant Patel</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/critics/amit-aggarwal"> </a>is the co-founder and CTO at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/contentstack">Contentstack</a> and a CMS Critic contributor. <hr /> When the internet first went mainstream, it was innovative just to have a website. Later, it was a blog. Then a mobile version. Each step felt like a leap forward in how brands showed up online.But we’ve entered a different era. With the rise of AI, simply “having a presence” doesn’t stand out to customers anymore. What does stand out is how adaptive that presence can be.By emphasizing personalization, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.contentstack.com/resources/case-study/land-olakes-boosts-conversion-rate-by-38-with-lytics-cdp-personalization?utm_campaign=fy26_glb_os_thought-leadership&amp;utm_medium=press-link&amp;utm_source=cmscritic&amp;utm_content=nishant-cmscritic-october">Land O’Lakes</a>’ animal nutrition brand Purina increased conversions to an average of 30% and improved its ability to keep visitors on the website for longer. That’s the power of experiences designed for individuals, not audiences.So what does the future look like? Two words: context management.<h3 id="content-vs.-context-management">Content vs. Context Management</h3>For years, brands doubled down on producing and managing content. But with the technology available and the siloed way data was collected, they were mostly guessing what a segment of people wanted. A brand can crank out endless content, but if that content isn’t in response to an individual’s real-time signals, what good will it do?Content management won’t cut it today. Context management is the only strategy that will reach and move audiences to action. (This, coming from someone who created the first <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.contentstack.com/resources/report/complete-headless-cms-guide?utm_campaign=fy26_glb_os_thought-leadership&amp;utm_medium=press-link&amp;utm_source=cmscritic&amp;utm_content=nishant-cmscritic-october">headless CMS</a>.)Unlike content management, context management seeks to piece together the full story of the problem or desire that the customer wants to solve, based on signals they send. For example, a Gen Z customer might see a product they like on social media. From there, they might quickly search that product—via a search engine or LLM—and land on your website. Imagine they click “shop” and see the exact product they’ve been searching for in front of them, without any deep dives. That’s a brand experience just for that individual, adapted instantly after a quick scan of their browser history. In the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.contentstack.com/blog/announcements/welcome-to-the-context-economy?utm_campaign=fy26_glb_os_thought-leadership&amp;utm_medium=press-link&amp;utm_source=cmscritic&amp;utm_content=nishant-cmscritic-october">Context Economy</a>, the value of a brand no longer comes from the volume of content published, but from how intelligently a brand’s experience adapts to the customer’s signals. Is your digital experience technology equipped to handle it?<h3 id="where-context-meets-agentic-ai">Where Context Meets Agentic AI</h3>Brands have been moving towards context management for a long time. According to the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://content.martechday.com/state-of-martech-2025.pdf">2025 State of Martech report</a>, the center of the Martech stack has shifted over the last two years to data warehouses and customer data platforms. I like that because you can’t be smart without data. But I also think it's a curious choice, because data can never act alone. Brands need to pair data systems with a CMS to turn data into insights, activate those insights, and connect with customers. What happens if you supercharge that with automation and agentic AI? Here’s what a true <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.contentstack.com/blog/ai/agentic-ai-101-whats-an-ai-agent-and-when-should-they-be-used?utm_campaign=fy26_glb_os_thought-leadership&amp;utm_medium=press-link&amp;utm_source=cmswire&amp;utm_content=nishant-contentcon?utm_campaign=fy26_glb_os_thought-leadership&amp;utm_medium=press-link&amp;utm_source=cmscritic&amp;utm_content=nishant-cmscritic-october">agentic AI</a> ecosystem might function like:A flash sale is about to go live. Instead of scrambling across teams—marketing, legal, supply chain, development, brand—AI agents handle the campaigns.One agent writes the copy. Another ensures it’s on-brand. An anti-hoax agent flags suspicious assets, while a supply chain agent checks inventory. Once the plan is greenlit by humans, a promotion agent takes over to launch the campaign, update the homepage, and email the right audience. As performance data rolls in, yet another agent optimizes the campaign in real time, ensuring it reaches the right people in the right moments.Again, keep in mind this shouldn’t be a one-size-fits-all experience. Individual A receives one version, while Individual B receives a completely different version, based on the context they provide. Both move the customer to form a deeper connection with the brand in different ways.This is not a distant future. Contentstack enables that reality today.<h3 id="embrace-agentic-with-contentstack’s-agent-os">Embrace Agentic with Contentstack’s Agent OS</h3><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.contentstack.com/academy/content/adaptive-personalization-with-agent-os">Contentstack’s Agent OS</a> is a breakthrough in agentic AI that allows AI and automation to operate with full brand and customer context to drive one-to-one interactions. Agents tap into a brand’s content, voice, audience insights, and existing Contentstack tools to handle predictable tasks and enforce on-brand outputs where it matters. Automations remove the need to switch between tools, set up manual workflows, and configure repetitive, low-value AI prompts.This is context management: combining data, content, and brand intelligence in real time to enable customer-driven experiences at scale.<h3 id="how-to-get-your-context-in-order">How to Get Your Context in Order</h3>So how do you prepare for an agentic future, today? <ol><li>Know your customer. Make sure customer data is being captured with the right systems, and that you’re pulling in real-time signals you can actually act on. That might require getting marketing and IT together in one room until that’s figured out. Even better, use data systems already <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.contentstack.com/platforms/real-time-cdp?utm_campaign=fy26_glb_os_thought-leadership&amp;utm_medium=press-link&amp;utm_source=cmscritic&amp;utm_content=nishant-cmscritic-october">embedded in your CMS</a>, so you don’t have to configure complicated integrations and fixes to connect data and content.  </li><li>Know your brand. This isn't just about logos and tone and voice. Understand how your brand is most relevant to your customer and adds value to their life. Do they want to be educated? Entertained? Make sure you’re fulfilling that need.  </li><li>Commit to the moment. Once you understand the intersection between customer and brand, use AI and LLMs to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.contentstack.com/blog/tech-talk/how-ai-powered-personalization-enhances-customer-experience?utm_campaign=fy26_glb_os_thought-leadership&amp;utm_medium=press-link&amp;utm_source=cmscritic&amp;utm_content=nishant-cmscritic-october">personalize content</a> for customers in the right channel, at the right time.</li></ol>The “one-size-fits-all” web has been dying for a long time. Now, with modern digital experience platforms like <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.contentstack.com/platform?utm_campaign=fy26_glb_os_thought-leadership&amp;utm_medium=press-link&amp;utm_source=cmscritic&amp;utm_content=nishant-cmscritic-october">Contentstack Edge</a> that combine content, data, and agentic AI in real-time, there’s a better customer experience waiting. We can finally move on to the era of context management.

The Death of the One-Size-Fits-All Web

nishant-patel

<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://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/if-there-is-a-will-there-is-a-way-with-jasmin-guthmann/id1801794414?i=1000725953323">Listen to the full episode of “The Critic's Corner” Podcast &gt;</a></h4> <hr /> When <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jguthmann/">Jasmin Guthmann</a> joined me for a recording of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cms-critic-the-critics-corner-podcast/id1801794414">“The Critic’s Corner” podcast,</a> I already knew about her impressive professional credentials. We’ve known each other for a few years through our board roles at the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/agency-powered-ai-wpp-and-mach-alliance-partner-to-help-brands-win-in-the-age-of-ai">MACH Alliance,</a> and we shared the stage for the opening keynote at the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cms-critic-the-critics-corner-podcast/id1801794414">Boye &amp; Company CMS Summit in Frankfurt</a> earlier this year.What I didn’t know was just how accomplished an athlete she is. Over the years, I've seen periodic LinkedIn posts of her posing with medals at some festive finish lines. As I learned during our call, she’s completed two of the grueling <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ironman.com/races">IRONMAN full-distance triathlons</a> and 12 shorter IRONMAN 70.3 races (the latter are half the distance, but still a massive grind). If you don’t “run” in these circles, the IRONMAN is recognized around the globe as the pinnacle of all triathlons. It’s a punishing 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bicycle ride, and 26.2-mile marathon rolled up in one race. Only elite athletes attempt this breathtaking competition – and many struggle to even complete it.  Get this: In 2023, she was a Championship finisher, meaning she successfully completed the challenging, long-distance IRONMAN World Championship race within the event's strict time cutoffs. For her next act, she's tackling mindboggling ultramarathons. <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:47.11%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/09/image-1758140217898.png" /></figure>A medal-moment after completing a 56KM ultramarathon. Source: LinkedIn As a long-distance runner myself with multiple half and full marathons under my belt (along with a bunch of other crazy training distances), I have mad respect for the mental and physical hurdles of such an endeavor. But admittedly, I find her IRONMAN accolades impressive – and even swoon-worthy. Competing at this level was more than a goal for Jasmin. It was a passion. It sparked joy. Still, getting there required a huge commitment. As she told me, it took 15 to 20 hours of training each week, to say nothing of the persistent fatigue, aches, and pains that accompanied it. But like she says: “If there is a will, there is a way.” That’s been a guiding principle for this inspiring trailblazer. Along with her athletic achievements, Jasmin is an accomplished digital leader with deep experience in the CMS space. She spent over three years at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/contentstack">Contentstack</a>, shaping corporate communications and supporting the marketing strategy as the headless player transformed into a composable DXP – one that’s now challenging the top of the market with its agentic vision. But she also worked on the other side of the partner fence. Her agency heritage includes global heavy hitters like <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/valtech/posts/?feedView=all">Valtech,</a> and today she’s the Vice President of Composable Consulting at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/accenture-song/">Accenture Song</a> – the technology-powered creative arm of the mammoth professional services firm.As mentioned, I know Jasmin from our intersection within the MACH Alliance. She was a fixture all the way back in 2020, working with co-founder and former Alliance president <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonjakeerl/">Sonja Keerl.</a> As she related to me, their conversations at the time revolved around a common phrase in Jasmin’s lexicon: We’re better together. <h3 id="navigating-change,-from-mach-to-ai">Navigating change, from MACH to AI</h3>But getting to that plateau of collaboration took more than just the planets aligning. There was serious effort involved – and the gut-feeling of knowing when to take a few risks to put things into action. “When we say, ‘Opportunity presents itself,’ it doesn’t just present itself,” she said. “Your hard work is what puts you where the good luck can find you.”During our recording, Jasmin talked about her journey to CMS, which is seldom a straight line. She got frank about the evolution of the MACH Alliance, particularly in the age of AI. We also discussed what’s at stake as vendors compete for the same RFPs and wallet share – and how the agentic race is reshaping the landscape. In the mounting chaos and complexity, the biggest challenge she sees for companies is finding uniformity.She also reflected on the pressures that agencies are under as AI casts the specter of job displacement and automation. There's a lot of uncertainty ahead, but this is a moment for change. Even revolution. “As agencies, we all need to rethink our revenue models,” she said. “Billing by the hour may not be very relevant moving forward. That’s the pink elephant in the room. Who goes first to challenge the market with new models? We're all seeing the same things, and we need to discuss them together.”Jasmin also reflected on her involvement with programs like <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/mach-alliance-empowers-gender-equality-with-new-women-in-mach-deib-scoring-tool">Women in MACH,</a> where she's helping to elevate her peers in the technology industry through mentorship and community. It's just another inspiring example of how she has turned passion and resolve into real impact.Here’s a few minutes of the podcast to whet your appetite:<figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://youtu.be/YFr_1UfkTFQ"><div style="position:relative;padding-bottom:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:56.2493%"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YFr_1UfkTFQ" style="position:absolute;width:100%;height:100%;top:0;left:0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></figure><h3 id="finding-your-‘true-north’">Finding your ‘True North’</h3>It’s not surprising that Jasmin has now added “author” to her illustrious resume. In fact, there might not be anything she can’t do if she's passionate enough – and that’s kind of the point of her new book. Finding your passion is the key to everything, but to take action, we might need a little help unblocking ourselves. In <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.amazon.com/If-There-Will-Way/dp/1035879395">If There Is a Will, There Is a Way,</a> Jasmine draws on her professional and life experiences, sharing big-picture mindsets and practical ideas for dreaming big, taking bold action, and mastering the behaviors that can lead to success. She gets real about her early challenges, eventually finding a passion that “lit her up like a Christmas Tree.”Jasmin’s story blossoms from the early trauma of losing her father and feeling, in her own words, that “Dreams were not for me. Dreams were for the more fortunate.” And while many labeled her perseverance as brave, she never saw it that way. Instead, she used her pain to build a relatable narrative – and help others.Borrowing from her personal and professional tribulations, Jasmin’s book offers a framework for navigating authentic and illusory goals and uncovering your “True North.” She shares strategies for planning, taking action, and (she says irreverently), “getting shit done.” As she relayed in our conversation, becoming an IRONMAN triathlete required diligence, commitment, and consistency – and she translated those lessons for readers who are eyeing big goals.“We often want to rush things, and we’re setting ourselves up for failure,” she said. “Instead of trying to do it all in a day, instead of running a full marathon, look at the reality and take incremental steps.”As Jasmin explained in the pod, we’re all trapped by the limitations of time. None of us has more than 24 hours in each day, so regardless of your goal – whether it’s business or personal – the real resistance is around making space, and saying “no” is your real superpower.<h3 id="the-finish-line">The finish line</h3>Jasmin Guthmann is a champion – and she keeps breaking through with her personal and professional accomplishments. Much like her IRONMAN training, she's always preparing for the next race, and we're lucky to have smart, motivated people like her helping to shape the trajectory of our industry. Regardless of your field or background, If There Is a Will, There Is a Way is a fantastic primer for inspiring bold action toward your dreams. This book is the real deal: it's honest, authentic, and truly written from the heart. Whether you’re considering a new personal goal (like running a marathon) or a big shift in your career, this quick read will give you practical tools, a relatable foundation, and a whole lot of hope that you can get what you want from life.You can run to your local bookseller and order a copy – <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.amazon.com/If-There-Will-Way/dp/1035879395">or buy it here. </a><h3 id="“the-critic’s-corner”-podcast-with-jasmin-guthmann">“The Critic’s Corner” podcast with Jasmin Guthmann</h3> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/if-there-is-a-will-there-is-a-way-with-jasmin-guthmann/id1801794414?i=1000725953323">Listen to the full episode &gt;</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cms-critic-the-critics-corner-podcast/id1801794414">Subscribe on Apple Podcasts &gt;</a> <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:50.07%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/09/critics-corner-apple-podcast-jasmin-guthmann.jpg" alt="" /></figure> <h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3> <img style="width:31.61%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/08/storyblok-joyconf-2025-logo.jpg" /><h4 id="storyblok-joyconf-2025"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://joyconf.storyblok.com/">Storyblok JoyConf 2025</a></h4>October 14-15, 2025 – Amsterdam, Netherlands November 4, 2025 – New York, NY November 6, 2025 – Los Angeles, CAJoin us at JoyConf 2025, where the future of content meets the people shaping it. Built for developers, marketers, and digital innovators, this free conference goes way beyond product updates or yet another strategy playbook. It’s where you’ll get inspired, get real, and get connected – to ideas, to the community, and to what’s possible when you build joyfully. Whether you're building lightning-fast frontends or launching cross-channel campaigns, this is where content becomes connection and collaboration becomes second nature. Come for the talks. Stay for the community. Leave with joy. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://joyconf.storyblok.com/">Save your spot.</a> <img style="width:28.9%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/08/sitecore-symposium-2025.jpg" /><h4 id="sitecore-symposium-2025"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://symposium.sitecore.com/">Sitecore Symposium 2025</a></h4>November 3-5, 2025 – Orlando, FLAt Sitecore Symposium, you’ll learn how to meet your customers where they are – across channels, moments, and touchpoints that didn’t exist a year ago. You’ll hear how the boldest brands in the world are transforming content into outcomes and creating experiences that are fast, relevant, and human. Join 1,500 marketers, digital leaders, and technologists in Orlando to see what’s possible when personalization scales, AI accelerates creativity, and trust becomes your competitive edge. This is the Third Wave of the Internet. And this is your moment to lead in it. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://symposium.sitecore.com/">Get your tickets today.</a> <img style="width:31.44%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/08/cms-kickoff-2026-logo.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-2026"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff26">CMS Kickoff 2026</a></h4>January 13-14, 2026 – St. Petersburg, FLMeet industry leaders at our fourth annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global CMS event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff26">so secure your tickets today.</a>

‘If There Is a Will, There Is a Way’: Jasmin Guthmann talks MACH, AI, triathlons, and her new book on living your best life

CMS Summit 26

Find out at CMS Connect 26, August 4-5 in Montreal, Canada

What's ahead for CMS in the agentic era?

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Is content management dead? Contentstack’s Agent OS reimagines new life in the ‘Context Economy'

Bridging Content and Data: A Contentstack Conversation with Bill Mitchell of MongoDB

Adapt + Thrive: Contentstack’s ContentCon25 Energizes Attendees with an AI-Powered Vision

<hr /> “If content is king, context is queen.”That’s what <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/contentstack-raises-57-5-million-in-series-b-round-qa-with-ceo-neha-sampat">Neha Sampat</a>, Contentstack’s founder and CEO, had to say about her company’s latest innovation, speaking to the “royal” relationship between content and data – and how their DXP is poised to help brands adapt to customers in real-time to every interaction and across every channel.<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/contentstack">Contentstack</a> has been steadily building this evolutionary vision of an “adaptive DXP,” laying the groundwork from the moment <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/contentstack-just-acquired-lytics-a-real-time-customer-data-platform-heres-why-it-matters">it purchased Lytics</a> – a customer data platform – last January. After breaking that news, I later visited Sampat at Contentstack’s HQ in Austin during a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/groups/cms-experts">Boye &amp; Company CMS Experts</a> meeting, where she rolled out more of the red carpet surrounding her data ambitions. At the time, I had no idea just how fast she would move to “adapt” Lytics. “The future of digital is here,” she said, “which is why we moved so quickly to deliver on our promise to arm customers with the combined power of content and data.”Indeed, the future is here. And for brands to compete, they need more context than ever. That’s where today’s announcement at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.contentstack.com/contentcon">ContentCon 25</a> (the company’s fourth annual customer shindig) comes in. Contentstack just revealed that it has natively added real-time audience insights, intelligent content recommendations, and omnichannel journey orchestration into <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/livin-on-the-edge-contentstacks-new-adaptive-dxp-might-just-rock-your-world">Contentstack EDGE</a> – its fully integrated adaptive digital experience platform.According to Contentstack, this is an industry-first game-changer at the CMS level. Armed with these features – where content and data are seamlessly combined – brands can deliver one-to-one personalized experiences across every channel.Making the announcement at ContentCon will no doubt help to fortify visibility and reinforce the relevance. Featuring speakers from a number of Contentstack’s marquee customers – including Crocs, Mattel, PetMeds, and Volvo – will help bring greater stickiness to the message as they trumpet their success leveraging the platform’s capabilities. To further elevate the message of performance, attendees will be treated to a closing keynote by two-time FIFA Women's World Cup champion and Olympic Gold Medalist <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandi_Chastain">Brandi Chastain</a>, co-founder of Bay Football Club.This is sure to score points as partners, agencies, and practitioners leave with practical wisdom – as well as a deeper sense of Contentstack’s roadmap for adaptive digital experiences. <h3 id="a-speedy-expansion-to-the-‘queendom’">A speedy expansion to the ‘queendom’</h3>I recently <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/livin-on-the-edge-contentstacks-new-adaptive-dxp-might-just-rock-your-world">wrote about Contentstack EDGE</a>, the brand envelope for its adaptive DXP. This new platform identity came just five months after its acquisition of Lytics, which demonstrates the speed and efficacy of Contentstack’s team in the pursuit of value from its CDP purchase.We’ve seen other vendors ride hype around M&amp;A, only to have a slow integration and consolidation period that can last years. Worse, the results are sometimes spotty, resulting in a cumbersome UX that misses the mark. This is fast by every modern measure, and the motivation was clear.It’s still early days for these new capabilities, but Contentstack has always doubled down on the user experience, making its native <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/contentstack-launch-aims-to-simplify-front-end-hosting-interview-with-dean-haddock-senior-product-manager">products like Launch</a> incredibly easy to use. Speed is absolutely critial, but so too is the delivery of an experience that meets – or at best, exceeds – customer expectations. <h3 id="“the-royal-treatment”-of-ai-powered-personalization">“The royal treatment” of AI-powered personalization</h3>AI is the name of the game, and Contentstack has been at the innovation edge since 2023, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/a-closer-look-at-contentstacks-ai-features-with-christine-masters-senior-product-manager">when I first demoed</a> its early GenAI capabilities. They were certainly novel at the time, and they were one of the first platforms to focus on more concrete, high-utility applications at the workflow level – where automation was solving real problems. Personalization has arguably come a long way. It’s not the elusive “Holy Grail” it once was. But according to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/contentstack-fires-up-brand-relevant-ai-powered-personalization-at-contentcon-2024">Conor Egan,</a> Contentstack’s SVP of Product, there are still barriers to realizing its potential. “Personalization is a priority, but brands struggle to deliver,” he said. “The reality is too abstract, complicated, disconnected or they’re locked into legacy tech that makes agility impossible.”Last year, Contentstack released a new personalization engine that combined brand-aware generative AI content creation, automation, and visual building technology. It was a foundation step that unleashed the benefits of AI while simplifying key aspects of the experience. But to deliver true hyper-personalization at scale, both content and real-time data were essential to the recipe. Now, Contentstack is fulfilling the last mile of its personalization vision, providing a blazing-fast integration that addresses long-standing personalization challenges with a practical solution. And by unifying content, data, and journey orchestration into a single, combined platform, brands can power true personalization at scale – all with clarity and confidence.“We’re not just committed to our vision of the future,” Egan said. “We’re offering customers the tools that make personalization possible today.”<h3 id="‘knighting’-its-adaptive-dxp-with-key-features">‘Knighting’ its adaptive DXP with key features</h3>The announcement provides some details about the feature additions to Contentstack EDGE at a granular level, further defining the company’s vision as an adaptive digital experience platform.First, the integration of Audience Insights will enable users to understand what content is driving engagement and delivering on business goals. The added context can help marketers support targeted campaigns and ground their personalization efforts in data-driven insights. Along with visual maps, audience building, and opportunity insights, brands can learn what their audiences care most about in real time. Worth noting: This feature is available at no additional cost to Contentstack customers today.Then, there’s Real-Time Data Activation, which aims to deliver personalized experiences instantly via seamless access to over 200 data connectors. There’s also native integration with existing data warehouses, activated in real time as customers interact – a key benefit that has emerged as brands tap data from a variety of siloed sources.Finally, with Flows, it’s all about scaling the promise of omnichannel personalization. Users can design and automate what Contentstack calls “adaptive customer journeys,” which can guide individuals seamlessly across web, mobile, email, ads, SMS, and other channels, maximizing engagement and conversions. <h3 id="is-this-a-new-reign-for-adaptive-dxps?">Is this a new reign for adaptive DXPs?</h3>For a space that’s often more buzzword than breakthrough, Contentstack is walking the walk with a rarefied air. This launch doesn’t just expand their platform – it helps reshape what’s possible for brands that are still struggling with the paralysis of personalization.Marketers are hungry for the context that Contentstack is promising. The speed at which they’ve delivered these new insights and journey orchestration capabilities is impressive, but UX is key – and we’ll have to see how organizations embrace the feature set. One big benefit here is Contentstack’s focus on customer intimacy and fueling its product enhancements around a solid feedback loop.Atop everything is the crowning position of adaptive digital experiences. While there’s a clear marketing angle, we’re all being forced to adapt to new realities in the race to digital dominance – and Contentstack is building a platform solution around the challenges and opportunities. You can come up with a fancy new name. But you have to make it mean something. And that’s precisely what they’re doing. Contentstack’s ascension to a DXP throne has been hard-fought, but its strategy seems to be paying off. As noted by several key analyst reports, the company’s composable roadmap and the acquisition of a data layer have catapulted it into new quadrants of consideration. This should assist in the battle against industry stalwarts and the general barrier to greater awareness.I still think one of Contentstack’s greatest assets is its culture. Over the years, I’ve spoken to CEO Neha Sampat about the company’s growth ambitions, but it’s always peppered with stories about people – and how Contentstack is doubling down on expanding through diversity and other human-focused initiatives.Case in point: The company has been recognized for its unmatched customer care and tradition of giving back globally through its Contentstack Cares program, including its support of Pledge 1% and “Girls Who Code.”It might be one of the shiniest gems in its crown – and another reason to watch this company as it continues to expand. <hr /><h4 style="text-align:center" id="looking-for-guidance-on-contentstack?-talk-to-an-expert.">Looking for guidance on Contentstack? <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/contact">Talk to an expert.</a></h4><hr /> <h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3> <img style="width:33.07%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/05/contentcon25-logo-1747412490394.png" /><h4 id="contentstack-contentcon-25"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.contentstack.com/contentcon">Contentstack ContentCon 25</a></h4>June 3-5, 2025 – Chicago, USAThe future of digital is waiting for you! Contentstack presents ContentCon, the premier event for digital teams and industry leaders who are reimagining the future of digital experiences. Join us for two days of transformative presentations and workshops designed to help you put personalization and AI strategies into action. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://contentcon2025.site.zuddl.com/">Register today! </a> <img style="width:31.83%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/01/cms-connect-2025-logo.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-connect-25"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect25">CMS Connect 25</a></h4>August 5-6, 2025 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present the second annual summer edition of our signature global conference dedicated to the content management community! CMS Connect will be held again in beautiful Montreal, Canada, and feature a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. Join vendors, agencies, and customers from across our industry as we engage and collaborate around the future of content management – and hear from the top thought leaders at the only vendor-neutral, in-person conference exclusively focused on CMS. Space is limited for this event, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect25">so book your seats today.</a>

Context Is Queen: Contentstack Crowns its Adaptive DXP with Native Real-Time Audience Insights

<hr /> CFOs are having an evolutionary moment, particularly in the realm of digital transformation. I’ve been tracking this shift for quite some time, talking to leaders on both the vendor and customer side, and it's clear that the role is expanding beyond financial functions to encompass deeper data analysis, risk management, and broader company strategy. This change has been driven by a myriad of factors, including increased global risk, economic volatility, and a surge in new technologies like AI. But there’s also been a precipitous expansion on the composable side of the DX ledger, where CFOs are increasingly tasked with being more informed about the tech composition of modern stacks to help support better decisions.That brings us to some key news about <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/contentstack">Contentstack</a> – which is, by all measures, on a roll. After the company’s <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/contentstack-just-acquired-lytics-a-real-time-customer-data-platform-heres-why-it-matters">sage acquisition of Lytics</a> in January, the composable DXP found itself in the Leaders sphere of the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/gettin-hygge-with-ai-and-more-a-few-cozy-takeaways-from-the-forrester-cms-wave-2025">2025 Forrester Wave for Content Management Systems</a>, validating its strategic roadmap. Now, in a move that signals more than just another executive appointment, Contentstack has hired <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/josetteleslie/">Josette Leslie</a> as its new Chief Financial Officer. And if we're reading the tea leaves, this calculated maneuver suggests the company might be gearing up for some bigger market moves.“Josette brings a rare combination of deep industry understanding, operational insight for fast-growing SaaS companies like Contentstack, and a values-driven leadership style that aligns with our culture,” said <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/contentstack-raises-57-5-million-in-series-b-round-qa-with-ceo-neha-sampat">Neha Sampat</a>, Founder and CEO of Contentstack. “Her proven track record of delivering results with strategic vision, strong leadership, and a positive culture will be invaluable as we continue to grow Contentstack and drive the market forward.”Leslie replaces <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/dovermyer/">David Overmyer</a>, who was part of Contentstack’s original leadership team. During his tenure, he was instrumental in helping to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/seeing-in-a-headless-world-contentstack-introduces-new-visual-building-capabilities-for-marketers">raise $169 million</a> and scale to an industry powerhouse. Overmyer is retiring from his executive role and will continue to serve on Contentstack’s Board of Directors.<h3 id="evolving-beyond-the-balance-sheet">Evolving beyond the balance sheet</h3>As I said, today’s CFO is as much a strategic growth architect as a financial steward. To that end, Leslie’s appointment is a bold, throat-clearing moment that suggests Contentstack is not only doubling down on its ambitions but rewriting the CFO’s role in a modern digital enterprise.Leslie brings a serious pedigree to the table. With more than 25 years of experience – including high-impact roles at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/squarespace">Squarespace</a>, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://us.etrade.com/home">E*TRADE</a>, and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.instinet.com/">Instinet</a> – she’s no stranger to guiding companies through hyper-growth, IPOs, and operational scale. At Squarespace, she helped shepherd the company through its 2021 IPO, proving she can navigate the complex terrain of fast-scaling SaaS platforms with poise and precision.Her new post at Contentstack comes at a pivotal moment. The company is riding a wave of momentum after acquiring Lytics, which added a critical real-time customer data component to its DXP composition. Add in Contentstack’s recognition as a Visionary in the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.gartner.com/en/documents/6101227">2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for DXPs</a> – and its #19 spot on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.forbes.com/lists/americas-best-startup-employers/">Forbes’ 2025 List of America’s Best Startup Employers</a> – and you get a sense that the company is running on rocket fuel. Leslie is building her vision on a solid foundation. In her experience, she’s seen firsthand how financial and operational excellence can accelerate innovation and unlock value. “What ultimately drew me to Contentstack was the caliber of the team and its mission to modernize digital experiences,” she said.<h3 id="why-it-matters">Why it matters</h3>Contentstack's CEO Neha Sampat has praised Leslie’s knowledge, insight, and values-driven leadership style – and rightly so. Given her previous successes in acquisitions, change management, and business revitalization, she brings an unmatched acumen and a tight integration of finance, operations, and go-to-market execution to the table.Let’s not forget that Contentstack is a composable platform, built on modularity and scale. In this space, the role of the CFO is uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between financial performance and platform agility. Leslie’s arrival could signal a more aggressive approach to expansion, M&amp;A, and infrastructure investment, especially as the industry accelerates toward real-time personalization and AI-powered experiences.There's also the new vision that Contentstack has been piloting around “adaptive digital experiences,” which is crystallized by its new <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/livin-on-the-edge-contentstacks-new-adaptive-dxp-might-just-rock-your-world">Contentstack EDGE offering</a>. This new breed of adaptive DXP combines intelligent content and real-time, first-party customer data, courtesy of the new Lytics CDP acquisition. Leslie's tech prowess could be a key activator for propelling EDGE to the forefront. The platform’s ability to react in real time to every customer interaction while staying authentically on-brand through AI and data-driven decision-making could be the new model for marketers and brands that rely on their DXP tools to be fast, elegant, and designed for AI. Hence, it's likely a central initiative for the leadership team. With <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.contentstack.com/contentcon">ContentCon</a> just around the corner, the timing is clearly intentional as Contentstack builds hype and energy around its announcements. The annual conference will no doubt set the stage for what’s next in the convergence of content, data, and personalization at scale. One thing’s certain: With Josette Leslie at the financial helm, Contentstack isn’t just building a future-proof platform. They’re financing the future of digital experiences. And given her wealth of wisdom, she has a clear view of the chessboard – and where to move the pieces. <hr /><h4 style="text-align:center" id="looking-for-guidance-on-contentstack?-talk-to-an-expert.">Looking for guidance on Contentstack? <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/contact">Talk to an expert.</a></h4><hr /> <h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3> <img style="width:33.07%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/05/contentcon25-logo-1747412490394.png" /><h4 id="contentstack-contentcon-25"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.contentstack.com/contentcon">Contentstack ContentCon 25</a></h4>June 3-5, 2025 – Chicago, USAThe future of digital is waiting for you! Contentstack presents ContentCon, the premier event for digital teams and industry leaders who are reimagining the future of digital experiences. Join us for two days of transformative presentations and workshops designed to help you put personalization and AI strategies into action. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://contentcon2025.site.zuddl.com/">Register today! </a> <img style="width:31.83%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/01/cms-connect-2025-logo.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-connect-25"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect25">CMS Connect 25</a></h4>August 5-6, 2025 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present the second annual summer edition of our signature global conference dedicated to the content management community! CMS Connect will be held again in beautiful Montreal, Canada, and feature a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. Join vendors, agencies, and customers from across our industry as we engage and collaborate around the future of content management – and hear from the top thought leaders at the only vendor-neutral, in-person conference exclusively focused on CMS. Space is limited for this event, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect25">so book your seats today.</a>

Contentstack taps a powerhouse CFO to fuel its next wave of growth. Here’s why it matters

<hr /> Whenever I hear Aerosmith’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7i_qRmWUdpQ">Livin’ on the Edge</a>, I’m obliged to provide a little headbanging. This iconic, heart-pounding anthem from the early ’90s requires me to push the decibel limit in my HOA's compact. It might not be good for the ears (or neighborhood tranquility), but it's great for the soul. Maybe you can relate.These days, it feels like <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/contentstack">Contentstack</a> might be doing a little of its own headbanging. After completing the <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/contentstack-just-acquired-lytics-a-real-time-customer-data-platform-heres-why-it-matters">acquisition of Lytics in January</a> (an industry-leading CDP), the headless-CMS-turned-composable-DXP scored a Visionary position on Gartner’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.contentstack.com/resources/report/gartner-magic-quadrant-dxp?utm_campaign=fy26q1_glb_pmm_cs-edge-announcement&amp;utm_medium=press-link&amp;utm_source=globenewswire">2025 Magic Quadrant for Digital Experience Platforms</a>.The hits keep coming. So what’s next on the playlist? How about a stadium rocker that takes us right to the edge – and beyond?Dream on.With its newly-pressed <a target="_blank" href="https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/02/26/3033112/0/en/Introducing-Contentstack-EDGE-the-World-s-First-Adaptive-Digital-Experience-Platform.html">Contentstack EDGE</a>, the company might have another gold record on its hands. Billed as the world’s first adaptive digital experience platform built for the AI era, EDGE is being positioned as a next-generation DXP that effectively unifies Contentstack’s advanced ecosystem of features.The whole band has assembled for this show, and it’s a promising lineup featuring Contentstack’s pioneering headless CMS, newly acquired CDP capabilities, personalization, automation, AI, and frontend hosting capabilities. What does EDGE deliver? A fresh interpretation of a tune called adaptive experiences. The name is intuitive enough, but if you’re not familiar, it’s a topic we’ve been discussing over the last few years – specifically as AI has evolved in its ability to automate with greater agency. The concept also has its roots in <a target="_blank" href="https://medium.com/@goodrebels/adaptive-design-creating-personalised-digital-experiences-46eecf9e406d">adaptive design</a> and supporting personalized digital experiences, which goes back over a decade.Adaptive experiences adapt. With Contentstack EDGE, this manifests in the platform’s ability to react in real time to every customer interaction while staying authentically on-brand through AI and data-driven decision-making. These are essential attributes for modern marketers and brands that rely on their DXP tools to be fast, elegant, and designed for AI.“We’re in a new era of marketing when simply having a digital presence isn’t enough to drive consumers to opt-in to the brand experience,” said <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/gurdeepd/">Gurdeep Dhillon</a>, Chief Marketing Officer of Contentstack. “Brands need adaptive experiences that create a dynamic, always-relevant, always-personal connection with their audiences. Contentstack EDGE is the platform to give brands the experience edge they need.” <h3 id="evolving-the-dxp-playlist">Evolving the DXP playlist</h3>Contentstack EDGE isn’t just a shiny new product name – it’s a statement. For years, the DXP space has been dominated by a predictable “rank and file” that is only now beginning to shift to a more composable posture. While there are benefits and efficiencies within some of these legacy tools, brands that have implemented all-in-one solutions often find themselves locked into rigid ecosystems that lack the flexibility needed for modern marketing.This year’s Gartner MQ for DXPs brought quite a few surprises to the grid, especially at the top end of the ladder. But Contentstack’s continued innovation and investment in its composable, future-ready technology has given it a disruptive edge in the crowd. With its shoring up of customer data through the acquisition of a real-time CDP, Contentstack expanded its vision and cemented its position as a game changer in the traditional grid – further signaling a shift from traditional platforms. <figure class="image image_resized" style="width:58.56%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/02/image-1740603215935.jpeg" alt="A diagram of a company's company's company

AI-generated content may be incorrect." /></figure>Source: Gartner  Along with its fully integrated, fully automated MACH-compliant frontend hosting capabilities – as well as its breadth of personalization features – the company is effectively redefining the composition of the DXP category. Along those MACH lines, Contentstack EDGE is built on the same composable architecture that has powered its solutions, combining its headless CMS and real-time CDP into an easy-to-use solution backed by the company's prolific <a target="_blank" href="https://www.contentstack.com/customer-care">“Care Without Compromise”</a> support program and what it calls a “no-fail AI guarantee.”I’ve spoken previously to <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/contentstack-raises-57-5-million-in-series-b-round-qa-with-ceo-neha-sampat">Neha Sampat</a>, Contentstack’s founder and CEO, about the growing “brand relevancy crisis” impacting the market. This was a hot-button topic <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/contentstack-fires-up-brand-relevant-ai-powered-personalization-at-contentcon-2024">at last year’s ContentCon</a>, and it continues to be a central mandate for companies as they look to grow in a noisy, fragmented ecosystem of messages and choices. She believes Contentstack is a catalyst for activating interest and conversions through scalable hyper-personalization – the kind only attainable through modern platforms like EDGE."To remain relevant in today's competitive markets, brands need customers to opt into the experiences they create. But it's a two-way street,” she said. “Brands must create experiences worth ‘opting in’ to, which means they must adapt to a data-first, AI-driven, hyper-personalized world. Retrofitting old technology won’t get them there. Contentstack EDGE will.”<h3 id="what-makes-edge-rock?">What makes EDGE rock?</h3>We’ve seen a lot of demos from vendors showcasing the breadth of their AI tooling, and some embracing <a target="_blank" href="https://aws.amazon.com/what-is/ai-agents/">the AI agent frontier</a>. There are impressive applications, but few have fully harnessed the potential. Contentstack consistently stood out as a pioneer during the generative AI “Gold Rush,” <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/a-closer-look-at-contentstacks-ai-features-with-christine-masters-senior-product-manager">focusing early on high-utility applications</a> that had a meaningful impact on productivity and governance. Now, with EDGE, they’re evolving what it means to be “AI-powered” by baking adaptability into the platform’s core.It's still early from an assessment perspective, but according to the company’s press release, the foundation sounds rock solid. At its core is Contentstack’s brand-aware generative AI and automated workflows – which create, manage, and distribute intelligent content at scale with breathtaking precision.The power of this intelligent content is reinforced by real-time, first-party customer data that’s unified across sources. This helps ensure the delivery of the right message to the right audience across channels – all with incredible accuracy.Advanced analytics also brings the promise of personalization to the next level, allowing brands to deliver content that feels customized for every user without the persistent latency of traditional systems. This includes content and journey analytics and predictive modeling, so brands can deliver highly dynamic and responsive experiences.<h3 id="what’s-next?">What’s next?</h3>Again, it’s early days, but the roadmap sounds promising. Given Contentstack’s past performance, we can anticipate that trusted customers are already in beta and providing feedback. The company plans to showcase EGDE's full capabilities at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.contentstack.com/contentcon">ContentCon 2025</a>, its annual cabal for digital teams and industry leaders, which will take place June 3-5 in Chicago. Expect to hear more from brands already leveraging the platform and deeper dives into how EDGE is being used to drive real results.<h3 id="why-it-matters">Why it matters</h3>When it comes to the DXP marketscape, it feels like we’ve been hearing Walk This Way on repeat. This year’s Gartner MQ codified that change is upon us, and we continue to see that telegraphed across the market. Some of this was precipitated by headless CMSes and legacy DXPs settling on their own view of “composability” to best serve their customers. We initially called this a race to the middle, but it really turned out to be a race to relevance.  We don’t really need an analyst report to tell us that the digital experience topology is shifting. Customers expect more from brands, and we need tools that help us understand their preferences and react in real time – delivering content that’s always on target, always personalized, and always engaging. As I said before, Contentstack EDGE feels more like a statement. Is it indeed a new breed of DXP? Or is it assembling the core components that define our modern definition of a DXP? The acquisition of Lytics certainly satisfied a DXP-level need for customer data, but what makes this different from the other players on the board?The distinction lies in its promise to deliver adaptive experiences, buoyed by its core composability and AI-powered, data-driven decisioning. It’s an ambitious vision, and we need more validation through use cases. But if executed correctly, it could be exactly what brands need to break free from the old model and move toward truly real-time, intelligent engagement.For marketers, developers, and digital leaders who are constantly Livin' on the Edge, the implications could be huge. If EDGE delivers on its promise, it could usher in a future where digital experiences are as dynamic as the audiences they serve. And that’s a Sweet Emotion everyone can headbang to. <hr /><h4 style="text-align:center" id="looking-for-guidance-on-contentstack?-talk-to-an-expert.">Looking for guidance on Contentstack? <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/contact">Talk to an expert.</a></h4><hr /><h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3> <img style="width:30.46%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/11/cms-summit-25.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-summit-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmssummit25">CMS Summit 25</a></h4>May 13-14, 2025 – Frankfurt, GermanyDon't miss the first European edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community! CMS Summit 25 will bring together top-notch speakers, our renowned learning format, and engaging social events. Hear from leading practitioners like Deutsche Bahn, Dr. Oetker, and more – and join customers, agencies, and CMS vendors as we discuss current trends and what's ahead for the content and digital experience fields. Connect and network at the only vendor-neutral, in-person conference focused on CMS. Space is limited for this exclusive event, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmssummit25">so book your seats today.</a> <img style="width:31.83%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/01/cms-connect-2025-logo.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-connect-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect25">CMS Connect 25</a></h4>August 5-6, 2025 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present the second annual summer edition of our signature global conference dedicated to the content management community! CMS Connect will be held again in beautiful Montreal, Canada, and feature a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. Join vendors, agencies, and customers from across our industry as we engage and collaborate around the future of content management – and hear from the top thought leaders at the only vendor-neutral, in-person conference exclusively focused on CMS. Space is limited for this event, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect25">so book your seats today.</a>

Livin’ on the EDGE? Contentstack’s new ‘Adaptive DXP’ might just rock your world

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