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Michael Fauscette
CEO & Chief Analyst at Arion Research LLC
Remote, United States
Michael is an experienced high-tech leader, board member, software industry analyst, podcast host and consultant. He is a thought leader and published author on emerging trends in business software, Agentic AI, CRM and customer experience strategies and technology, automation, AI and generative AI, and building a digital first enterprise. As a senior market researcher and leader Michael has deep experience in business software market research, starting new tech businesses and go-to-market models in large and small software companies.
Currently Michael is the Founder, CEO and Chief Analyst at Arion Research, a global cloud advisory firm; and an advisor to G2, Board Chairman at LocatorX, board member and fractional chief strategy officer at Spotlogic. He Co-Hosts the show In the Hot Seat on PPN and hosts the Disambiguation Podcast. Formerly the chief research officer at G2, he was responsible for helping software and services buyers use the crowdsourced insights, data, and community in the G2 marketplace. Prior to joining G2, Mr. Fauscette led IDC’s worldwide enterprise software application research group for almost ten years. He also held executive roles with seven software vendors including Autodesk, Inc. and PeopleSoft, Inc. and five VC-backed technology startups.
Michael works with technology vendors and brands providing thought leadership content development, AI strategy custom research, keynotes, podcasting and consulting. He often works with technology startups and enterprise vendors on business strategy, go to market strategies, customer advocacy strategies, product led growth, subscription business models and operations, product market positioning, competitive intelligence, leadership development, and product roadmaps.
Available For: Advising, Authoring, Consulting, Influencing, Speaking Travels From: Philadelphia
Speaking Topics: AI / Agentic AI strategies, customer experience strategies, digital first strategy, technology trends
Agentic Governance-by-Design: A Reference Architecture for Enterprise AI Trust
Arion Research LLC
March 15, 2026
The agentic era has arrived, and with it, a critical shift in how enterprises must approach AI governance. We are no longer deploying chatbots that respond to user queries. We are deploying autonomous systems with API access, decision-making authority, and the velocity to act faster than humans can intervene.
How AI Agents Are Redefining B2B and B2C Commerce Strategies
Arion Research LLC
January 20, 2026
The traditional boundaries between B2B and B2C commerce are collapsing as autonomous AI agents begin executing transactions without human intervention. Enterprise buyers now demand consumer-grade experiences while high-value consumer sectors adopt B2B-style relationship management, creating a unified commerce paradigm where the "customer" is increasingly an algorithm rather than a person. This research examines the rise of Agent-to-Agent (A2A) commerce, where buying agents negotiate directly with selling agents through APIs rather than visual interfaces, and explores the strategic, operational, and ethical implications for organizations navigating this transition. As transactions shift from human-mediated browsing to algorithmic negotiation, leaders face critical decisions about what should be automated, how to prevent algorithmic bias in pricing, and where human judgment remains essential. The window to build this capability strategically, rather than reactively, is closing rapidly.
Modernizing Your Sales Tech Stack
Arion Research LLC
November 25, 2025
This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the modern sales technology land-scape through a framework better suited to the AI era. Rather than evaluating solutions based solely on their stated category, we examine them along two critical dimensions: their focus (internal process optimization versus external customer engagement) and their temporal orientation (historical data analysis versus real-time guidance and action).
Our analysis encompasses ten distinct market categories, from established markets like Sales Force Automation to emerging categories like Agentic AI Sales Agents. For each, we examine not only what these solutions do today but how AI is transforming their capabilities and blurring the lines between categories. We pay particular attention to two categories that serve as central intelligence hubs for modern sales organizations: Sales Discovery and Execution platforms, and Revenue Operations and Intelligence solutions.
Customer Experience Trends for 2026
Arion Research LLC
November 04, 2025
As we approach 2026, customer experience is undergoing a transformation that will reshape how organizations engage with customers, how experiences are delivered, and how loyalty is built. The introduction of agentic AI in customer experience; autonomous systems capable of understanding emotion, predicting needs, and orchestrating seamless journeys; is a core paradigm shift from reactive service to proactive relationship management.
Tags: Agentic AI, Customer Experience, Generative AI
Agentic AI Trends 2026
Arion Research LLC
October 26, 2025
The emergence of agentic AI; autonomous systems capable of independent decision-making, adaptive learning, and collaborative problem-solving; marks a pivotal shift from AI as a tool to AI as a workforce partner. This report examines twelve critical trends across three tiers of readiness and impact. Tier 1 trends are inevitable, already gaining mainstream adoption and delivering measurable business value. Tier 2 trends are emerging but transformational, positioned for early-majority adoption in 2026-2027 with significant upside for organizations that execute well. Tier 3 trends remain on the horizon, still early or dependent on standards and infrastructure maturity, but offering glimpses of a future where AI agents operate with unprecedented autonomy and reach.
The AI Privacy Equation: Balancing Innovation with Protection in the Modern Enterprise
Arion Research LLC
September 30, 2025
Organizations worldwide are successfully solving the AI privacy challenge by treating privacy and AI as complementary capabilities rather than competing priorities. Key findings reveal that 83.7% of companies have dedicated privacy teams, 41.3% have strengthened privacy measures since implementing AI, and customer data breaches remain the top concern (40.8%). While barriers exist in technical expertise (36.6%) and implementation costs (32.3%), leading organizations are building competitive advantages through privacy-first AI strategies. The path forward requires integrated approaches combining strong privacy foundations, strategic AI implementation, and systematic workforce development.
Ethical Considerations in Agentic AI Implementation
Arion Research LLC
July 27, 2025
The delegation of decision-making authority to AI agents creates ambiguity around responsibility when those agents act independently. This challenge becomes particularly acute when agents make consequential decisions that affect individuals, organizations, or society at large.
Traditional accountability structures assume human decision-makers who can be held responsible for their choices. With agentic AI, the chain of responsibility becomes fragmented across developers, deployers, operators, and the agents themselves. This creates what researchers term the "moral crumple zone" - a space where responsibility for harmful outcomes becomes difficult to assign.
Agentic AI and Cybersecurity: Enhancing Threat Detection and Resilience with Autonomous Agents
Arion Research LLC
July 13, 2025
"Agentic AI and Cybersecurity: Enhancing Threat Detection and Resilience with Autonomous Agents" explores how intelligent, autonomous AI agents are revolutionizing cybersecurity by operating at machine speed to detect threats, respond to incidents, and adapt to new attack patterns 24/7. Unlike traditional security tools that simply flag problems, these agents can independently investigate suspicious activities, coordinate multi-system responses, and learn from each encounter, transforming cybersecurity from reactive defense to proactive threat hunting. The report examines current applications, multi-agent architectures, implementation strategies, and future trends while addressing critical concerns about agent security, explainability, and human oversight.
Data Privacy Considerations When Implementing Specialized AI Agents
Arion Research LLC
June 25, 2025
The stakes have never been higher for data privacy. As AI agents become more deeply embedded in business-critical workflows, they gain access to increasingly sensitive and regulated data. A misstep in privacy protection doesn't just risk regulatory penalties, it can undermine customer trust, compromise competitive advantages, and expose organizations to significant legal liability.
Measuring Success: KPIs for Specialized AI Agent Performance
Arion Research LLC
June 01, 2025
Artificial intelligence technology has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years. What began as experimental implementations of AI tools has evolved into sophisticated, specialized agents that now handle critical business operations across industries. These AI agents, the foundation of a digital workforce, aren't just answering simple questions anymore, they're managing complex customer interactions, analyzing vast datasets, making purchasing decisions, and even conducting sales conversations with remarkable autonomy.
This shift from experimental curiosity to operational necessity brings with it a fundamental challenge: how do we measure success when the "worker" is an AI agent rather than a human employee? Traditional automation metrics like uptime and processing speed, while still relevant, tell only part of the story. When an AI agent is making decisions that directly impact customer satisfaction, revenue generation, and business outcomes, we need a more nuanced approach to performance measurement.
The Three-Dimensional Framework for Agentic AI: A Strategic Guide to Autonomy, Authority, and Resilience
Arion Research LLC
May 24, 2025
As artificial intelligence systems become increasingly capable, organizations face a critical challenge: how to systematically design and deploy AI agents that operate with appropriate levels of independence while maintaining necessary human oversight and robust error handling. The traditional approach of viewing AI autonomy as a simple linear progression from "manual" to "fully automated" fails to capture the nuanced decisions required for real-world deployment.
This report introduces a comprehensive three-dimensional framework that provides a structured approach to understanding, designing, and implementing agentic AI systems. By examining three critical dimensions—Scope of Authority, Human Interaction Patterns, and Error Handling & Recovery—organizations can make more informed decisions about how to build AI systems that are both powerful and safe.
AI in Human Resources: Transforming Talent Acquisition, Employee Engagement, and Performance Management
Arion Research LLC
May 14, 2025
The integration of artificial intelligence into human resources is one of the most significant transformations in how organizations attract, develop, and retain talent. This report examines the rapidly evolving landscape of AI applications across the HR function, providing decision-makers with an analysis of current capabilities, implementation considerations, and future directions. We examine specific use cases across talent acquisition, employee engagement, and performance management to illustrate how AI is reshaping traditional HR practices and creating new possibilities for strategic workforce management.
AI-Powered Personalization in E-Commerce
Arion Research LLC
April 25, 2025
Personalization in e-commerce has evolved significantly over the past decade. What began as simple product recommendations based on rudimentary rule-based systems has evolved into sophisticated, predictive experiences that anticipate customer needs before they're even expressed. The journey from "customers who bought this also bought that" to today's hyper-personalized shopping experiences reflects not just technological advancement, but a fundamental shift in how retailers conceptualize the digital customer journey.
The Future of Adaptive Enterprises with Agentic AI
Arion Research LLC
April 01, 2025
Digital first businesses are undergoing rapid transformations as artificial intelligence (AI) moves from experimental technology to mission-critical infrastructure. Traditional enterprises are embracing AI to automate routine tasks, analyze rapidly growing datasets, and enhance decision-making processes. This initial wave of AI adoption has already delivered substantial efficiency gains and cost reductions while opening new avenues for innovation.
Yet we are in the early stages of an even more significant revolution: the rise of Agentic AI. Unlike traditional AI applications that operate within narrow, predefined parameters, Agentic AI systems possess autonomy, initiative, and the capacity for self-improvement. These systems don't merely respond to commands—they anticipate needs, take independent action, and continuously refine their capabilities based on outcomes.
Dynamic Pathways: Autonomous AI and the Evolution of Customer Journey Mapping
Arion Research LLC
March 26, 2025
TL;DR
Autonomous AI transforms customer journey mapping from static planning exercises into dynamic, adaptive processes that evolve in real-time based on individual customer behaviors and preferences.
Multimodal AI capabilities enable hyperpersonalization by simultaneously analyzing diverse inputs (text, voice, behavior patterns, contextual information) to develop a comprehensive understanding of customer needs.
AI-driven anticipatory customer service shifts support from reactive to proactive, identifying and addressing potential issues before customers experience significant disruption.
Emotionally intelligent AI systems recognize and respond appropriately to customer emotional states, transforming transactions into meaningful connections that acknowledge the human experience.
Autonomous AI serves as an orchestration layer across channels and touchpoints, creating seamless omnichannel experiences without requiring extensive reengineering of underlying systems.
Human-AI collaborative models represent the next evolution, blending AI's analytical capabilities with human intuition and emotional intelligence to handle complex customer interactions.
The Role of Planning and Reasoning in Next-Generation AI Agents
Arion Research LLC
March 22, 2025
TL;DR
-Advanced AI planning capabilities transform systems from reactive tools into proactive agents that can break down complex problems, consider alternatives, and adapt strategies in dynamic environments.
-AI reasoning encompasses logical, probabilistic, and commonsense approaches that enable systems to draw conclusions, make inferences beyond stated facts, and justify decisions through coherent logic.
-Hybrid architectures combining neural networks with symbolic systems represent the most promising direction for AI development, leveraging pattern recognition alongside explicit reasoning.
-Next-generation AI agents will enable autonomous task execution, human-like problem solving, enhanced decision making, and long-term goal management across various domains.
-Significant challenges remain in computational complexity, handling uncertainty, ensuring ethical operation, and integrating advanced capabilities into practical applications.
-The future will see AI evolve from tools that extend human capabilities to partners that complement human thinking, reshaping industries and enabling new forms of human-AI collaboration.
Measuring the ROI of AI Investments
Arion Research LLC
February 25, 2025
The Rising Importance of AI Investments
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming a cornerstone of modern business strategy. Organizations across industries are leveraging AI to enhance efficiency, improve decision-making, and drive innovation. From automating routine tasks to enabling advanced predictive and prescriptive analytics, AI has the potential to generate substantial business value. However, assessing the financial and strategic returns of AI investments remains a challenge.
Research Brief: ZohoDay Analyst Summit 2025
Arion Research LLC
February 23, 2025
TL;DR:
-Enterprise Expansion: Zoho is evolving beyond its SMB roots, introducing domain-specific application platforms tailored for enterprise needs, including CX, finance, and IT service management.
-AI-Driven Innovation: The company’s AI strategy, Zia AI, is built on contextual intelligence, AI-powered digital employees (Zia Agents), and proprietary large language models (LLMs), with a strong emphasis on privacy and long-term value.
-Unified Technology Stack: Zoho’s vertically integrated tech stack ensures seamless interoperability across its 55+ business applications, with built-in AI, low-code/no-code tools, and security features.
-Partner Ecosystem Growth: Zoho is expanding its partnerships with GSIs, resellers, and service providers, fostering co-creation of vertical-specific solutions and extending its market reach.
-Industry-Specific Platforms: The company is investing in vertical SaaS, offering tailored solutions for financial services, retail, automotive, and other industries, with compliance-ready and AI-powered capabilities.
-Sustainable & Privacy-First AI: Unlike competitors relying on third-party AI providers, Zoho builds its own AI models and operates 16+ global data centers, prioritizing control, security, and sustainable infrastructure.
Research Brief: SugarCRM Analyst Summit 2025
Arion Research LLC
February 20, 2025
TL;DR:
-AI-Driven CRM Innovation – SugarCRM leverages its Sugar Intelligence AI engine to enhance automation, predictive analytics, and data-driven insights across sales, marketing, and customer service functions.
-Flexible Deployment & Customization – Offering both cloud-based and on-premises solutions, SugarCRM differentiates itself with low-code/no-code customization and an open architecture.
-Revamped Partner Strategy – The company has restructured its partner program to drive growth through simplified engagement, vertical market expansion, and cloud marketplace collaboration.
-Competitive Positioning – Positioned as a strong alternative to Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics 365, and HubSpot, SugarCRM emphasizes automation, industry-specific solutions, and freedom from vendor lock-in.
The Impact of AI on Business Resilience
Arion Research LLC
February 17, 2025
AI plays a pivotal role in business resilience by enhancing risk detection, decision-making, and operational adaptability. Organizations are transitioning from reactive to proactive resilience planning through AI-powered insights and automation.
Ways AI enhances business resilience include:
Predictive risk assessment – AI models forecast disruptions and recommend preventive measures.
Automated response systems – AI-powered automation enables rapid responses to incidents.
Data-driven scenario planning – AI simulates potential risks to help businesses prepare for different contingencies.
Enhanced cybersecurity – AI-driven threat detection and prevention mechanisms safeguard IT infrastructures.
Supply chain optimization – AI helps mitigate disruptions by improving supply chain forecasting and responsiveness.
AI enables organizations to develop robust, adaptive resilience strategies that not only prevent crises but also create competitive advantages in navigating disruptions.
AI Driven Business Decisions
Arion Research LLC
January 31, 2025
Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic concept; it is actively reshaping the business landscape today. Organizations across industries are leveraging AI to process vast amounts of data, identify patterns, and automate decision-making in ways that were once impossible. AI enhances efficiency, improves accuracy, and introduces strategic agility that helps businesses stay ahead in an increasingly competitive and data-driven world.
The Impact of AI on Employee Productivity
Arion Research LLC
January 04, 2025
In today’s fast-paced and competitive business environment, productivity is a critical metric for success. Organizations are constantly seeking ways to maximize efficiency, reduce costs, and empower employees to focus on high-value activities. AI offers a transformative solution by streamlining operations and enabling employees to achieve more in less time. From automating mundane tasks to providing actionable insights through advanced analytics, AI acts as a powerful enabler of productivity.
Autonomous AI Agents: Automating the Enterprise
Arion Research LLC
December 14, 2024
Autonomous AI agents are transforming enterprises by automating complex tasks, enabling scalable solutions, and improving decision-making. These agents leverage advanced technologies like Large Language Models (LLMs), machine learning frameworks, and natural language processing to function independently with minimal human intervention. Business leaders can deploy these agents across functions such as customer service, sales, operations, and finance to achieve cost savings, enhance efficiency, and deliver superior customer experiences.
Decision Intelligence Trends for 2025
Arion Research LLC
December 03, 2024
In the rapidly evolving world of enterprise artificial intelligence (AI), decision intelligence (DI) is poised to become a transformative force for businesses in 2025. As companies navigate increasingly complex decision-making environments, decision intelligence is a key enabler of smarter, faster, and more scalable decisions. Leveraging AI, machine learning (ML), and integrated data models, DI is set to redefine how organizations make routine and high-stakes decisions alike.
Customer Experience Trends for 2025
Arion Research LLC
November 15, 2024
The world of customer experience (CX) continues to be transformed, driven by rapid advancements in technology and evolving consumer expectations. This research brief, Customer Experience Trends for 2025, explores the ten most impactful trends reshaping CX strategies for businesses worldwide. From hyper-personalized journeys enabled by AI to the rise of autonomous CX agents and ethical data practices, these trends are poised to redefine how organizations interact with their customers.
Key highlights include:
The integration of large behavioral models (LBMs) to create dynamic, individualized customer journeys.
The emergence of sophisticated AI agents like Salesforce's Agentforce, capable of end-to-end interactions.
A renewed focus on data ethics, emotional AI, and sustainability in shaping future CX.
The Agent Service Bus: The Most Important Infrastructure Nobody Is Building
Arion Research LLC
March 19, 2026
Everyone is talking about AI models and agent platforms. Almost nobody is talking about the infrastructure that makes agents actually work together. In this second article of Arion Research's "Future Enterprise" series, we examine the Agent Service Bus, the most strategically important layer in the enterprise AI stack and the one getting the least attention. We break down the five functions it must perform, assess where current protocols (A2A, MCP) fall short, and explore who will build the missing pieces.
The Enterprise App Collapse: How AI Agents Are Forcing a New Architecture
Arion Research LLC
March 15, 2026
This article introduces the "Future Enterprise" framework; a layered architecture for understanding how AI agents are unbundling traditional enterprise applications and forcing a new technology stack. It is the first in a series from Arion Research that will drill into the individual layers, the cross-cutting challenges (governance, identity, pricing), and the competitive question of who controls the future enterprise.
Governance as a Competitive Advantage: Why the Safest Companies Will Be the Fastest
Arion Research LLC
March 10, 2026
Most companies treat AI governance as a speed limit. They are wrong. In this closing article of the Agentic Governance-by-Design series, we argue that the organizations with the best brakes will be the ones who drive fastest, introducing the concept of Time-to-Trust and showing why governed companies are escaping Pilot Purgatory while their competitors are still crawling.
The Auditability of "Vibe": Turning High-Dimensional Intent into Regulatory Proof
Arion Research LLC
March 08, 2026
Every AI decision your company makes leaves a mathematical fingerprint. The question is whether you're capturing it. In this article, we explore how vector embeddings and governance ledgers transform the "black box" problem into geometric proof, giving boards, regulators, and courts the auditable evidence they need to trust agentic AI at enterprise scale.
Algorithmic Circuit Breakers: Preventing "Flash Crashes" of Logic in Autonomous Workflows
Arion Research LLC
March 07, 2026
In 2010, high-frequency trading algorithms erased a trillion dollars in market value within minutes, faster than any human could react. Today's agentic swarms face the same risk at the logic layer: thousands of autonomous decisions per second, any one of which could send bad contracts, leak data, or drain budgets before your Flight Controller even sees an alert. This article introduces Algorithmic Circuit Breakers, the automated tripwires that detect anomalies like semantic drift, confidence decay, and runaway loops, then sever an agent's connection to tools and APIs in milliseconds. Governance at machine speed, for systems that fail at machine speed.
Human-in-the-Lead: From Manual Pilots to Strategic Flight Controllers
Arion Research LLC
March 01, 2026
In 2023, we wanted humans to check every chatbot response. In 2026, an agentic swarm might perform 10,000 tasks an hour. The Human-in-the-Loop model that gave us comfort in the early days of AI is now the bottleneck killing our ability to scale. It is time to move from reactive approval to proactive design, from manual pilots to strategic flight controllers.
The Agentic Service Bus: Governing Inter-Agent Politics and Preventing Algorithmic Collusion
Arion Research LLC
February 28, 2026
What happens when your Pricing Agent, optimized for revenue, starts a loop with your Customer Loyalty Agent, optimized for retention? You get a logic spiral that could drain margins in milliseconds. The Pricing Agent raises the price to capture margin. The Loyalty Agent detects customer churn risk and offers a discount to retain the relationship. The Pricing Agent sees margin erosion and raises the price further. The loop accelerates. Within seconds, your price fluctuates wildly, your customer discounts compound, and your margins evaporate. This is not a scenario from a startup war room. It is a real operational risk in enterprises deploying multiple autonomous agents.
Agentic Identity and Privilege: Why Your AI Needs an Employee ID and a Security Clearance
Arion Research LLC
February 22, 2026
In most current AI deployments, "The AI" is a monolithic entity with a single API key. If it hallucinates a reason to access your payroll database, there is no "Internal Affairs" to stop it. We treat AI as a tool with a single identity, a single set of permissions, and a single point of failure. But here is the uncomfortable truth: your AI systems need to operate more like employees than instruments. The gap between how we currently deploy AI and how we should deploy AI is a chasm of organizational risk.
The Semantic Interceptor: Controlling Intent, Not Just Words
Arion Research LLC
February 21, 2026
Traditional keyword filters operate on tokens that have already been generated. An agent produces toxic output, the filter catches it, but the model has already burned compute cycles and corrupted the system state. The moment is lost. The user has seen something problematic, or the downstream process has absorbed bad data.
From "Filters" to "Foundations": Why the Post-Hoc Guardrail Is Failing the Agentic Era
Arion Research LLC
February 14, 2026
Most enterprises govern AI like catching smoke with a net. They wait for a hallucination, a misaligned response, or a brand violation, then they write a new rule. They audit the logs after the damage is done. They implement a keyword filter. They add a content policy. But they have never asked the question that matters: at what point in the process should the guardrail actually kick in?
Brand Voice as Code: Why Your AI Agent's Personality Is a Governance Problem
Arion Research LLC
February 12, 2026
The new frontier of enterprise risk. The biggest threat to your brand is no longer a data breach or a rogue employee on social media. It’s an AI agent that is technically correct but emotionally illiterate, one that follows every rule in the compliance handbook while violating every unwritten norm your brand has spent decades cultivating. The conversation around AI governance has focused almost entirely on data security, model accuracy, and regulatory compliance. Those concerns are real and important. But they miss a critical dimension: personality. How your AI agent speaks, empathizes, calibrates tone, and navigates cultural nuance is not a "nice to have" layered on top of governance. It is governance.
The "Agent Orchestrator": The New Middle Manager Role of 2026
Arion Research LLC
February 07, 2026
The dominant narrative around AI in the enterprise has been one of subtraction: fewer headcounts, leaner teams, entire departments rendered obsolete. It makes for compelling headlines, but it misses the point. The real story unfolding in 2026 is far more interesting than simple displacement. It is a story of structural evolution, of org charts being redrawn not because roles are vanishing, but because entirely new ones are emerging to meet demands that didn't exist two years ago.
The Dual Maturity Framework: Bridging the Gap Between Organizational Readiness and AI Autonomy
Arion Research LLC
February 05, 2026
The conversation around enterprise AI has shifted. For several years, the focus was on generative AI: systems that could summarize documents, draft emails, write code, and answer questions when prompted. These tools delivered real value, but they shared a common limitation. They waited for a human to ask before they did anything. The emerging generation of agentic AI changes that equation entirely. Agentic systems do not just answer; they execute. They plan multi-step workflows, make decisions within defined parameters, coordinate with other systems, and carry out complex tasks with minimal or no human intervention.
The Agentic Service Bus: A New Architecture for Inter-Agent Communication
Arion Research LLC
January 31, 2026
As enterprises deploy more AI agents across their operations, a critical infrastructure challenge is emerging: how should these agents communicate with each other? The answer may reshape enterprise architecture as profoundly as the original service bus did two decades ago.
The Death of the "Generalist" Dashboard: Why 2026 Belongs to Vertical Agentic Workflows
Arion Research LLC
January 28, 2026
We are witnessing a pivot in enterprise computing that will reshape how organizations operate. The application layer, as we've known it, is evaporating. We are moving from a world where humans log in to work, to a world where agents log out to execute. The dashboard is no longer a destination. It is a legacy artifact.
From "Human-in-the-Loop" to "Human-in-the-Lead": Designing Agency for Trust, Not Just Automation
Arion Research LLC
January 25, 2026
If we want to scale agentic AI, we need a different model. We must stop treating humans as safety nets reacting to AI outputs and start treating them as pilots directing AI capabilities. This is the shift from "Human-in-the-Loop" to "Human-in-the-Lead."
Code vs. Character: How Anthropic's Constitution Teaches Claude to "Think" Ethically
Arion Research LLC
January 24, 2026
The challenge of AI safety often feels like playing Whac-A-Mole. A language model says something offensive, so engineers add a rule against it. Then it finds a workaround. So they add another rule. And another. Soon you have thousands of specific prohibitions. This approach treats AI safety like debugging software. Anthropic has taken a different path with Claude. Instead of programming an ever-expanding checklist of "dos and don'ts," they've given their AI something closer to a moral framework: a Constitution.
Beyond Trial and Error: How Internal RL is Redefining AI Agency
Arion Research LLC
January 18, 2026
Generally, artificial intelligence agents have learned the same way toddlers do: by taking actions, observing what happens, and gradually improving through countless iterations. A robot learning to grasp objects drops them hundreds of times. An AI learning to play chess loses thousands of games. This external trial-and-error approach has produced remarkable results, but it comes with a cost. Every mistake requires real-world interaction, whether that's computational resources, physical wear on hardware, or in some cases, actual safety risks.
Tags: Agentic AI, AI Infrastructure, AI Orchestration
Depth Over Breadth: Why General AI is Stalling and Vertical AI is Booming
Arion Research LLC
January 10, 2026
The "Generalist Era" of AI (ChatGPT, generic copilots) is ending. 2025 marks the pivot to the "Specialist Era" (Vertical AI), where value is captured not by broad knowledge, but by deep, domain-specific execution. The $3.5 billion spending figure is the canary in the coal mine; signaling a massive capital flight toward tools that solve expensive, specific problems rather than general ones.
Beyond Retrieval: Why Agents Need Memory, Not Just Search
Arion Research LLC
January 09, 2026
If you're building AI agents right now, you've probably noticed something frustrating. Your agent handles a complex task brilliantly, then five minutes later makes the exact same mistake it just recovered from. It's like working with someone who has no short-term memory.
This isn't a bug in your implementation. It's a design limitation. Most organizations are using Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) to power their agents. RAG works great for what it was designed to do: answer questions by finding relevant documents. But agents don't just answer questions. They take action, encounter obstacles, adapt their approach, and learn from failure. That requires a different kind of intelligence.
Tags: Agentic AI, AI Infrastructure, AI Orchestration
The Missing Layer: Why Enterprise Agents Need a "System of Agency"
Arion Research LLC
January 04, 2026
We are witnessing a critical transition in artificial intelligence. The move from Generative AI (which creates content) to Agentic AI (which executes tasks) changes everything about how organizations must approach their AI infrastructure.
Most organizations are attempting to build autonomous agents on top of their existing "Systems of Record”; ERPs, CRMs, and legacy databases designed decades ago. These systems excel at storing state: inventory levels, customer records, transaction histories. But they were never designed to capture something equally critical: the reasoning behind decisions.
The State of Agentic AI in 2025: A Year-End Reality Check
Arion Research LLC
December 30, 2025
After a full year of hype, deployment attempts, and reality checks, we can now see clearly what worked, what didn't, and what lessons matter for organizations making AI strategy decisions in 2026. This is a practical look at the technical breakthroughs that mattered, where enterprises actually deployed agents at scale, how multi-agent systems evolved from theory to practice, and the governance challenges that couldn't be ignored.
Enterprise AI Is a System, Not a Model
Arion Research LLC
December 14, 2025
Many enterprise leaders are making a costly category error. They're confusing access to intelligence with operational AI.
The distinction matters because public chatbots and foundation models are optimized for one set of outcomes while enterprise AI requires something entirely different. ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini excel at general reasoning, conversational fluency, and handling broad, non-contextual tasks. They're designed to answer questions, generate content, and provide insights across virtually any domain.
Enterprise AI operates in a different universe. It must execute inside real workflows, maintain accountability and governance at every step, and deliver repeatable business outcomes. The goal isn't to answer questions. It's to orchestrate work.
Conflict Resolution Playbook: How Agentic AI Systems De-tect, Negotiate, and Resolve Disputes at Scale
Arion Research LLC
December 12, 2025
When you deploy dozens or hundreds of AI agents across your organization, you're not just automating tasks. You're creating a digital workforce with its own internal politics, competing priorities, and inevitable disputes. The question isn't whether your agents will come into conflict. The question is whether you've designed a system that can resolve those conflicts without grinding to a halt or escalating to human intervention every time.
Beyond Bottlenecks: Dynamic Governance for AI Systems
Arion Research LLC
December 07, 2025
As we move from single Large Language Models to Multi-Agent Systems (MAS), we're discovering that intelligence alone doesn't scale. The real challenge is coordination, orchestration and governance. Imagine you've deployed 100 autonomous agents into your enterprise. One specializes in customer data analysis. Another handles inventory optimization. A third manages supplier communications. Each agent is competent at its job. But when a supply chain disruption hits, who decides which agents act first? When two agents need the same resource, who arbitrates? When market conditions shift, how do they reorganize without human intervention?
The Digital Workforce
Arion Research LLC
December 17, 2025
The Digital Workforce delivers weekly insights on building production-ready agentic AI systems. Join Fortune 500 advisors and AI leaders getting actionable strategies to move from experimentation to enterprise-scale implementation. Expert analysis from Michael Fauscette, author of Building the Digital Workforce.
The Complete Agentic AI Readiness Assessment: Strategies for Navigating the Autonomous Future
Arion Research LLC
December 16, 2025
Before you build your first agent, know where you stand. Moving from AI experimentation to production-ready agentic systems isn't just a technical challenge; it's an organizational transformation. Most companies jump straight to implementation without understanding if their infrastructure, data, teams, and governance can actually support autonomous agents at scale. This comprehensive assessment guide changes that.
Building the Digital Workforce: Strategies for Agentic AI Success
Arion Research LLC
September 15, 2025
Building the Digital Workforce unveils how agentic AI is redefining what’s possible in business. Thought leader and technology analyst Michael Fauscette shares hard-won insights and real-world examples from the front lines of digital transformation, helping you move beyond automation to truly autonomous AI partners reshaping teams, decision-making, and business value.
The Digital Workforce Revolution: What 442 Business Leaders Revealed About Agentic AI
Arion Research LLC
July 31, 2025
Survey methodology note: "Survey of 442 business professionals
across industries and roles, conducted in early 2025 on Agentic AI adoption"
Learn more in "Building the Digital Workforce:
Strategies for Agentic AI Success"
Ethical Risk Zones for Agentic AI
Arion Research LLC
July 27, 2025
As organizations rapidly adopt agentic AI systems capable of autonomous decision-making, five critical ethical risk zones demand immediate attention from business leaders and technologists. Unlike traditional AI tools that assist human decision-makers, these autonomous agents can act independently at scale, creating unprecedented challenges around accountability, transparency, and human oversight. The "moral crumple zone" emerges when responsibility becomes unclear between developers, deployers, and the AI systems themselves, while bias amplification risks occur when autonomous decisions perpetuate discrimination without human intervention.
The Evolution of RAG: From Simple Retrieval to Multi- Agent Reasoning
Arion Research LLC
July 21, 2025
Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) has transformed and evolved to meet emerging business and system requirements over time. What started as a simple approach to combine information retrieval with text generation has evolved into sophisticated, context-aware systems that rival human researchers in their ability to synthesize information from multiple sources.
Generative AI Industry Use Cases
Arion Research LLC
August 27, 2024
The other way to examine generative AI is in specific industry vertical applications. The path of horizontal technology often leads to more industry focused functionality that addresses the unique needs and requirements of each vertical. This infographic breaks down some of the more compelling industry vertical use cases. These use cases build off the base categories (see the previous use case infographic) to meet specific needs in each covered vertical.
Generative AI Use Cases
Arion Research LLC
August 24, 2024
The business use cases for generative AI are very diverse, with new applications of the technology popping up nearly weekly. To better understand the potential of generative AI, it’s useful to break it down into the major use categories, and then work down from there into more detail. The model is an attempt to capture the current use cases as categories.
Large Action Models
Arion Research LLC
August 08, 2024
Large Action Models (LAMs) are a new advancement in AI that builds upon the capabilities of Large Language Models (LLMs). LAMs leverage a combination of existing AI technologies to bridge the gap between understanding language and taking action in the digital world.
Business Adoption and Use of Artificial Intelligence
Arion Research LLC
August 05, 2023
Arion Research conducted a survey of 402 people in North America on AI adoption in August 2023. This infographic presents some of the preliminary finding and a small sample of some of the high level data from that survey.
Business Adoption and Use of AI
BrightVision
October 04, 2023
In this week's Tech Marketing Trends episode, Jakob Löwenbrand welcomes Michael Fauscette, a tech veteran with a rich background including roles at PeopleSoft, Autodesk, and as Chief Research Officer at G2. Michael is here to discuss his latest report on business adoption and use of AI.
BIG CX News – The Latest on Microsoft Sales Copilot, Salesforce AI Cloud, and Zoom In WFM
CX Today
August 11, 2023
CX Today’s Charlie Mitchell presents the latest trending news from the customer experience world.
He’s joined by five prominent CX analysts to dissect the latest stories from the space – including news from Microsoft, Salesforce, and Zoom.
In this edition, our CX experts include:
Liz Miller, VP & Principal Analyst at Constellation Research
Rebecca Wetteman, Principal at Valoir
Michael Fauscette, Founder, CEO & Chief Analyst at Arion Research
Shelly Kramer, Principal Analyst at V3B
Martin Schneider, Head of Research at Annuitas Research
BIG CX News – The Latest on Verint’s CCaaS Move & the Genesys Experience Index
CX Today
July 11, 2023
CX Today’s Charlie Mitchell presents the latest trending news from the customer experience world. He’s joined by three prominent CX analysts to dissect the latest stories from the space – including news from Verint and Genesys.
In this edition, our CX experts include:
Liz Miller, VP & Principal Analyst at Constellation Research
Rebecca Wetteman, Principal at Valoir
Michael Fauscette, Founder, CEO & Chief Analyst at Arion Research
The Latest on Zoom’s AI Assistant, Twilio’s Losses, & a Possible RingCentral-8×8 Merger
CX Today
June 02, 2023
CX Today’s Charlie Mitchell presents the latest trending news from the customer experience world.
He’s joined by four prominent CX analysts to dissect the latest stories from the space – including news from Zoom, Twilio, Lifesize, RingCentral, and 8×8.
In this edition, our CX experts include:
Dave Michaels, Lead Analyst at TalkingPointz.com
Liz Miller, VP & Principal Analyst at Constellation Research
Rebecca Wetteman, Principal at Valoir
Michael Fauscette, Founder, CEO & Chief Analyst at Arion Research
Tags: Customer Experience, Mergers and Acquisitions
Just like Coffee - Digital Transformation is not ONE and done
Digital Evolution Forum
March 14, 2022
Companies are now focussing on the digital experience they provide to their customers and their staff. When digitally transforming it is important to understand it is not a one and done. In order to become a fully digitised business, you must look at all of your operations in a new light. CEO & Chief Analyst, Arion Research, Michael Fauscette explains digital transformation is all about the people, not the technology and how to shift towards a digital-first mindset.
Tags: Business Strategy, Digital Disruption, Digital Transformation
Ep. 24 - Business Innovation And Technology Research with Michael Fauscette
YouTube
November 04, 2021
This episode of the Success Fundamentals Podcast features Michael Fauscette, CEO & Chief Analyst of Arion Research and Advisor to G2 and Entercom.io. A career in tech is not dependent on your educational background.
Michael's story of success found him in many different fields trying many things out before he found his way to tech. His background in music lent a different way of learning but his natural curiosity is what drove him forward.
After a decade of experience in engineering and software while in the Navy, Michael adapted post-Navy to a life in tech. He shares that you define your success and passion is the only reason you should be doing it.
He shares his thoughts on money as a tool and power as best wielded by servant leaders. Finally, Michael shares his current initiatives like an upcoming book and his role in Arion Research.
Curiosity Doesn't Kill the Cat with Michael Fauscette
Success Fundamentals
November 04, 2021
This episode of the Success Fundamentals Podcast features Michael Fauscette, CEO & Chief Analyst of Arion Research and Advisor to G2 and Entercom.io. A career in tech is not dependent on your educational background.
Tags: Digital Disruption, Startups, Entrepreneurship
CRM Playaz Weekly with Mike Fauscette
YouTube
April 08, 2021
Advisor, Board Chair, Influence, Analyst, Thought Leader, Jazz Aficionado and Expert Photographer Mike Fauscette joins us to shoot the stuff about whatever comes to our mind....
CRMKonvo #25 Michael Fauscette on CX Trends Analysts and photography
YouTube
December 02, 2020
We will discuss 2021 trends, views on the best and worst buzzwords on the market, the role of CDPs and an actually usable AI.
Michael is a renowned analyst and author, with more than 20 years of experience in and around the CRM industry. He is the Chief Research Officer at G2, an analyst firm that bases its analyses on customer feedback. Our discussion topics will include the role of analysts — whether they are serving their purpose well and what could be improved, the meaning of CX, trends and, of course, the worst industry buzzwords of the year.
And some photography.
As usual - it is a conversation and might lead different directions.
How to get the right technology to power mobile marketing success
MarketingSherpa
January 15, 2019
To truly leverage mobile marketing, it takes three crucial elements — the right plan, the right technology to power that plan, and great creative ideas to make use of that technology for the customer’s benefit.
We sat down with Michael Fauscette, Chief Research Officer, G2 Crowd, to give you ideas for your brand’s mobile marketing strategy — discussing everything from AR and beacons to single view of the customer to data-driven marketing to vendor selection.
Competitive Advantage: It’s Not Just About the Technology, It’s About the Frame of Reference
CxOTalk
October 09, 2015
Creating the right environment to connect with customers, employees and partners is not just about doing the same thing we have always done. If we do more of the same thing we don’t have the right frame of reference. The Business Modernization framework is a way to look at all aspects of the business and identify what the new way to operate should be, identify the technology that can enable that, then identify the culture shifts and the change that needs to happen to enable the business to be effective in today's environment.
Tags: Business Strategy, Digital Disruption, Digital Transformation
Customer Edge TV: The Modern Customer Journey Map CRM
Customer Edge TV
October 03, 2014
Mike Fauscette, Group VP of Software Business Solutions at IDC discusses modernizing customer journey mapping and building customer experience models. He takes us through the stages of buying: Need, Brand Awareness, Education, Evaluation, Decision, Purchase, Advocate. They also touch upon how mobile changes this model.
#14: CXOTalk with Michael Fauscette
YouTube
June 14, 2013
CXO-Talk brings you live conversations on leadership, innovation, and transformation with people shaping the future. Your hosts are Michael Krigsman and Vala Afshar.
Community for a Complete Customer Experience Strategy: IDC's Michael Fauscette
YouTube
January 09, 2013
Your customers have adapted to the social age—they're tech savvy with lots of options and short attention spans. Your business must adapt along with them if you want to capture their attention and earn their loyalty. Michael Fauscette, Group VP of IDC's Software Business Solutions, discusses about the best way for companies to engage, interact, and provide a positive experience at every point in the customer lifecycle.
From SEO to AEO: Preparing Your Content for AI Discovery
Arion Research LLC
March 18, 2026
In this episode, Michael Fauscette sits down with Jenna Nelson, Founder of Her Agency, to explore the shift from SEO to AEO and GEO, why static content strategies are failing, and how to structure your brand for the way people actually search in 2026.
MCP, AI Agents, and the Future of Network Infrastructure
Arion Research LLC
March 11, 2026
In this episode, Michael Fauscette sits down with John Capobianco, Head of AI and Developer Relations at Itential, to explore how Model Context Protocol (MCP) is becoming the connective tissue between AI agents and enterprise systems, why network infrastructure needs a governance layer before autonomy, and what happens when you let 500 engineers loose on an AI agent in Slack.
Tags: Agentic AI, AI Governance, AI Infrastructure
Building Visibility: How Personal Brand Drives Business Growth
Arion Research LLC
March 04, 2026
Jimi Gibson, VP of Brand Communication at Thrive Internet Marketing Agency, joins the show to explain why executives and subject matter experts need to build personal brands in the age of AI-driven search, and how a professional magician's framework for capturing attention translates directly into business communication strategy.
AI in the Back Office: Where the Real Enterprise Value Is Hiding
Arion Research LLC
February 25, 2026
The biggest AI opportunity in enterprise isn't in your sales team or your chatbot. It's buried in the back office, where inefficiencies have been hiding for decades. What happens when seed-stage startups start solving those problems with 35 people instead of 35,000?
In this episode, Michael Fauscette sits down with Matt Ober, Managing Partner at Social Leverage, to discuss where the real enterprise value is hiding in AI, why go-to-market matters more than ever, and what separates the founders who break through from those who stall.
The Human Blind Spot: Why Trust Is Your Biggest Cybersecurity Vulnerability
Arion Research LLC
February 18, 2026
Most cybersecurity breaches aren't caused by bad technology. They're caused by humans doing what humans are biologically wired to do: trust. Robert Siciliano explains why your biggest security vulnerability isn't in your firewall, it's in your people's wetware.
Building Trust Through Empathy: How AI Companions Support Grief Work
Arion Research LLC
February 11, 2026
In this episode of Disambiguation, host Michael Fauscette sits down with John Kammer, founder of Guardian [AI]ngels, to explore how AI chatbots can serve as emotional support tools for people navigating grief and loss. After losing three of his closest friends, John struggled for over a decade with substance-fueled avoidance before accidentally discovering that building an AI persona based on his late best friend unlocked a breakthrough in his own healing. That personal experience became the foundation for Guardian [AI]ngels, a structured grief support tool built on Worden's Four Tasks of Mourning and developed with licensed therapists.
Vertical AI in Action: How One Insurance Company Transformed Go To Market, Underwriting, and Claims
Arion Research LLC
February 04, 2026
What happens when you stop bolting AI onto existing processes and rebuild your entire company as an AI-native stack? Spanish insurtech Tuio went from industry-average 5% profit margins to 15%, with a 40% improvement in marketing conversion. In this episode of Disambiguation, I sit down with Juan Garcia, Co-founder and CEO of Tuio, to explore how his team re-engineered insurance from the ground up
January 2026 AI Pulse
Arion Research LLC
January 28, 2026
Welcome to the first AI Pulse of 2026! Michael Fauscette and Tom Pringle explore the technical advances solving agentic AI challenges, privacy implications of personalized AI assistants, and the latest AI gadgets entering the market.
When Machines Create: An IP Attorney's Perspective on AI Innovation
Arion Research LLC
January 21, 2026
When AI systems help create inventions, who owns the intellectual property? Join us for a fascinating conversation with James Gourley, idea and brand protection attorney and partner at Carstens, Allen & Gourley LLP, as we explore the complex intersection of artificial intelligence and intellectual property law.
ChatGPT Isn't Your Strategy: What Business Leaders Get Wrong About AI
Arion Research LLC
January 14, 2026
Most companies are making a critical mistake with AI: treating ChatGPT and other large language models as the end goal instead of recognizing them as features within a broader enterprise strategy. In this episode, host Michael Fauscette talks with Professor Antonio Pace from UT Dallas about the disconnect between individual AI tools and true enterprise AI transformation.
What You'll Learn:
• Why ChatGPT is a feature, not a complete enterprise solution
• How to integrate AI into your workflows, not just individual tasks
• Why "prototype paralysis" keeps companies stuck in the science fair • The energy crisis threatening AI scalability
• How quantum computing could solve AI's biggest infrastructure challenges • Real-world quantum computing applications already in production
• Practical steps for building an effective AI strategy in your organization
The State of Agentic AI in 2025: A Year End Reality Check
Arion Research LLC
December 30, 2025
Welcome to the year-end special of Disambiguation, hosted by Michael Fauscette! In this final episode of Season 3, we take a deep dive into the significant developments in artificial intelligence and generative AI throughout 2025.
Join us as we explore:
-The evolution of foundation models and the impact of OpenAI's GPT-5 and Google's Gemini 3 Pro.
-Real-world applications of agentic AI in customer service, code generation, and back-office operations.
-The challenges businesses faced, including reliability, integration, and cost considerations.
-Insights into multi-agent systems and the importance of governance and trust in AI deployment.
December 2025 AI Pulse
Arion Research LLC
December 22, 2025
Welcome to the December edition of AI Pulse on Disambiguation! Join host Michael Fauscette and co-host Tom Pringle as they dive into the latest trends and predictions in artificial intelligence, generative AI, and business automation.
Teaching Machines to Think Like Humans Who Think Differently
Arion Research LLC
December 18, 2025
Welcome to this week's episode of Disambiguation! Join host Michael Fauscette as he dives into the intersection of AI, creativity, and accessibility with special guest Victor Varnado, founder and CEO of Supreme Robot.
In this episode, Victor shares his journey from artist and comedian to AI enthusiast and developer. He discusses his innovative writing tool, the Magic Bookifier, designed to help neurodivergent creators structure their thoughts and transform their ideas into written works. Victor also explores the importance of empathy in technology design and how his personal experiences shape his approach to building tools for thinkers on the margins.
AIOps Unfiltered: What Actually Works
Arion Research LLC
December 07, 2025
In this episode of Disambiguation, I had the pleasure of speaking with Marty Duffy, SVP of Product R&D Operations at G2. We discussed the timely and critical topic of AI Ops, specifically focusing on the concept of "agentic ops" and what truly works in this evolving landscape.
November 2025 AI Pulse
Arion Research LLC
November 22, 2025
Welcome to the November edition of AI Pulse on the Disambiguation Podcast! Join hosts Michael Fauscette and Tom Pringle as they dive into the latest trends and news in artificial intelligence, generative AI, and business automation.
Books, Bots, and the New Rights Economy: How AI Is Rewriting Publishing
Arion Research LLC
November 13, 2025
In this episode of Disambiguation, I had the pleasure of speaking with Julie Trelstad, the Head of US Publishing at AMLET AI, about the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on the publishing industry. With over 35 years of experience in book publishing, Julie shared her insights on how AI is reshaping the landscape for authors and publishers alike.
Agentic AI Trends for 2026
Arion Research LLC
October 29, 2025
Host Michael Fauscette as he dives into the latest insights from our recently published Agentic AI Trends and Predictions Report for 2026. In this episode, we explore the evolution of enterprises from experimenting with generative AI to operationalizing intelligent agents across digital workflows. Discover what agentic AI is and how it differs from traditional AI tools.
When AI Gives the Wrong Answer: Optimizing Customer Experience
Arion Research LLC
October 21, 2025
Welcome to this week's episode of Disambiguation! Join host Michael Fauscette as he dives into the world of artificial intelligence, generative AI, and business automation with expert Anuj Shah, founder and CEO of Averas AI.
In this episode Anuj shares his extensive experience at the intersection of customer service and emerging tech, particularly in highly regulated environments like financial services. He discusses the critical importance of data quality and knowledge management in AI implementations, especially when deploying autonomous agents.
October 2025 AI Pulse
Arion Research LLC
October 17, 2025
Welcome to the October edition of AI Pulse on the Disambiguation Podcast! Join hosts Michael Fauscette and Tom Pringle as they dive into the latest trends and announcements in artificial intelligence, generative AI, and business automation.
America's AI Talent Crunch
Arion Research LLC
September 30, 2025
In this episode of the Disambiguation Podcast, host Michael Fauscette dives into the critical intersection of U.S. immigration policy, tech innovation, and the future of American leadership in artificial intelligence. As the AI sector grapples with a historic talent shortage, recent changes to the H-1B visa program raise significant concerns for startups and smaller tech firms.
September 2025 AI Pulse
Arion Research LLC
September 23, 2025
Welcome to the September edition of AI Pulse on Disambiguation! Join host Michael Fauscette and co-host Tom Pringle as they dive into the latest developments in artificial intelligence, generative AI, and business automation.
Regaining Trust Through Connected Selling
Customer Gauge
March 12, 2019
In 2019, it’s time to ask the pertinent questions: Where are your customers going? What are they doing? And, most importantly, how will you meet them where they are? Using data from over 2 million B2B buyers per month, G2 Crowd’s Chief Research Officer, Michael Fauscette, discusses what clients are saying it takes for them to make a buying decision in today’s market.
How to communicate with mobile consumers to increase sales and loyal customers
Techcrunch
July 26, 2023
This time a survey of global consumers about channel preferences for communicating with businesses.
Highlights
1. The channels consumers prefer to communicate with businesses vary depending on the type of activity, level of trust and perceived personal risk
2. Email and phone top the list for trust, while SMS and social media are the least trusted channels for communicating with businesses
3. Businesses that over communicate through any channel will face negative consequences
4. Consumers prefer to communicate in real-time with businesses when seeking support
5. Retention, attention and advocacy are high value outcomes directly related to full spectrum communication strategy
Communication Channel Preferences for Mobile Consumers
Sendbird
May 10, 2023
Arion Research surveyed 1200 global consumers who use mobile apps about their communication channel preferences for interacting with businesses. The survey asked consumers 18 years and older from 14 countries around the world which channels they use, prefer, trust and pay attention to when interacting with businesses. The survey reveals that not all channels are equal for consumer trust and attention when it comes to different types of business communication.
*Why mobile apps matter as a channel to connect with customers
* Consumer preferences for push notifications from mobile apps
* How consumer experiences with SMS have changed in the past 12 months
* Consequences for poor business communication practices
Tags: CRM, Customer Experience, Digital Transformation
Gamification in the Workplace Webinar with Michael Fauscette
YouTube
September 16, 2013
This is an exclusive Webinar with IDC's VP of Software Business Solutions, Michael Fauscette.
In this webinar, Michael discusses how business gamification creates a more successful and engaging community experience for customers, employees and partners.
Generative AI Trends 2025: Moving Beyond LLMs: The Next Frontier in AI Innovation
Date : October 22, 2024
In the past two years, large language models (LLMs) have revolutionized the AI landscape, showcasing their remarkable capabilities in understanding and generating human-like text. Their versatility has led to widespread adoption across industries, powering applications from chatbots to content creation. This rapid innovation cycle has not only highlighted the potential of LLMs but also paved the way for the emergence of next-generation language models tailored to specific needs and contexts.
The Rise of Specialized Language Models
As organizations seek to leverage AI for more targeted applications, specialized language models are gaining traction. These models come in various sizes—small, medium, and large—each designed to meet the specific demands of different industries and domains. For example, a small model might be optimized for customer support interactions, while a large model could be tailored for complex legal document analysis. This specialization allows businesses to harness the power of AI in ways that are most relevant to their operations, enhancing efficiency and effectiveness.
Large Action Models: Bridging the Gap
Another significant part of this trend is the development of large action models that go beyond mere text generation. These models are designed to understand and execute complex tasks, integrating various forms of input and output. This capability not only improves user experience but also enables businesses to automate workflows and make data-driven decisions more effectively. As large action models become more sophisticated, their applications will expand into areas such as process automation, decision support, and predictive analytics.
Liquid Foundation Models: The Future of Continuous Learning
One of the most exciting advancements on the horizon is the concept of liquid foundation models (LFMs). These models aim to minimize the need for extensive pretraining and enable continuous improvement without the traditional retraining processes. By leveraging a dynamic approach to learning, LFMs can adapt to new data and changing environments in real-time, making them highly responsive to the evolving needs of users. This shift represents a significant departure from the static nature of current LLMs, paving the way for more resilient and adaptable AI systems.
As we move beyond traditional LLMs, the future of AI is set to be defined by specialization, action-oriented capabilities, and continuous learning. The emergence of specialized LMs, large action models, and liquid foundation models reflects a broader trend toward more adaptable and efficient AI solutions. By embracing these innovations, organizations can unlock new possibilities for automation, decision-making, and customer engagement, ultimately transforming their operations in the process. The next phase of AI development promises to be as transformative as the last, as we explore the full potential of these next-generation models.
In the past two years, large language models (LLMs) have revolutionized the AI landscape, showcasing their remarkable capabilities in understanding and generating human-like text. Their versatility has led to widespread adoption across industries, powering applications from chatbots to content creation. This rapid innovation cycle has not only highlighted the potential of LLMs but also paved the way for the emergence of next-generation language models tailored to specific needs and contexts. The Rise of Specialized Language Models As organizations seek to leverage AI for more targeted applications, specialized language models are gaining traction. These models come in various sizes—small, medium, and large—each designed to meet the specific demands of different industries and domains. For example, a small model might be optimized for customer support interactions, while a large model could be tailored for complex legal document analysis. This specialization allows businesses to harness the power of AI in ways that are most relevant to their operations, enhancing efficiency and effectiveness. Large Action Models: Bridging the Gap Another significant part of this trend is the development of large action models that go beyond mere text generation. These models are designed to understand and execute complex tasks, integrating various forms of input and output. This capability not only improves user experience but also enables businesses to automate workflows and make data-driven decisions more effectively. As large action models become more sophisticated, their applications will expand into areas such as process automation, decision support, and predictive analytics. Liquid Foundation Models: The Future of Continuous Learning One of the most exciting advancements on the horizon is the concept of liquid foundation models (LFMs). These models aim to minimize the need for extensive pretraining and enable continuous improvement without the traditional retraining processes. By leveraging a dynamic approach to learning, LFMs can adapt to new data and changing environments in real-time, making them highly responsive to the evolving needs of users. This shift represents a significant departure from the static nature of current LLMs, paving the way for more resilient and adaptable AI systems. As we move beyond traditional LLMs, the future of AI is set to be defined by specialization, action-oriented capabilities, and continuous learning. The emergence of specialized LMs, large action models, and liquid foundation models reflects a broader trend toward more adaptable and efficient AI solutions. By embracing these innovations, organizations can unlock new possibilities for automation, decision-making, and customer engagement, ultimately transforming their operations in the process. The next phase of AI development promises to be as transformative as the last, as we explore the full potential of these next-generation models.
Over the next year generative AI continues to evolve rapidly, reinforcing and compounding the role it played in 2023 in democratizing and consumerizing AI. Generative AI providers will make several improvements including increasing conversational fluency, improving response accuracy and providing better tools for improving prompts. Application providers will continue to embed generative AI across the full range of enterprise applications, democratize the use by moving prompt engineering away from the user and into the middle layer which will simplify user interaction with the tools, and offering more applications tailored for individual industries. Companies will continue the focus on immediate outcomes for generative AI projects (productivity gains), moving from proof of concept and pilot projects to full production and increase investments in generative AI enabled applications, particularly for industry vertical use cases. The early adopter companies will start shifting from immediate outcomes (productivity) to strategies that systematize end-to-end solutions.
Michael Fauscette's 2026 Predictions for B2B Thought Leadership
Thinkers360
December 21, 2025
2026: The Year Thought Leadership Becomes Distributed
For the past two years, we've watched AI reshape content creation. In 2026, the transformation goes deeper. Thought leadership won't just be AI-assisted anymore; it will be AI-orchestrated.
The difference matters. Today's thought leaders use AI as a productivity tool. Tomorrow's will deploy agentic systems that handle research synthesis, audience analysis, and multi-channel distribution while they focus exclusively on strategic insight and relationship building.
The Rise of the Thought Leadership Operating System
The most successful B2B thought leaders in 2026 will operate their own "semantic layers," a concept I've been exploring in my work on agentic AI. Think of it as your personal knowledge infrastructure where AI agents continuously:
Monitor industry signals and flag emerging patterns
Synthesize your past work into dynamic, context-aware insights
Suggest strategic positioning opportunities before competitors spot them
Manage dialogue across platforms while maintaining your authentic voice
This isn't about creating more content. It's about creating smarter presence.
Human Judgment Becomes the Only Moat
Here's the paradox: as AI makes professional-quality content universally accessible, the market will over-correct toward authenticity. But audiences in 2026 won't just demand "authentic" content; they'll demand proof of hard-won expertise and original thinking that no model could generate.
The winners will be thought leaders who can demonstrate:
Pattern recognition from direct client work
Counter-consensus positions backed by proprietary research
Synthesis across domains that AI can't yet connect
Real-time adaptation in conversations and debates
My Prediction for 2026
B2B thought leaders will split into two distinct camps. The first group will treat AI as a content factory, producing volume at scale. They'll discover that volume without differentiation is noise.
The second group will treat AI as an intelligence amplifier. They'll use agentic systems to process massive information streams, identify weak signals, and free up cognitive bandwidth for the uniquely human work: judgment, creativity, and relationship depth.
The gap between these two approaches will become a chasm. By Q4 2026, the market will decisively reward the second group, and we'll see the first major casualties among thought leaders who bet on AI-generated volume over AI-augmented insight.
The question for 2026 isn't whether to use AI in your thought leadership practice. It's whether you'll control AI or let AI control you.
Location: virtual Fees: fee, equity or a blend of both tbd
Service Type: Service Offered
Senior leader with executive level experience in business software, AI and Agentic AI, services management, starting new businesses and business models in large and small software companies, and business turn-a-round. Direct experience leading all facets of technology companies including strategy, market intelligence, data analysis and visualization, consulting, research, product marketing, and services.
Experience:
-35+ years in high tech
-30+ years of executive leadership
-Executive at 5 venture backed technology startups including unicorn G2
-International Management Experience
-Board member and board chairman at 2 tech startups
-Advisory board member at 2 tech startups
-19 years advising tech companies on strategy, go-to-market, competitors, product market fit, PLG
-19+ years leading market analysts, delivering strategy consulting and market intelligence
-Deep vertical industry expertise in high technology and services industries
Location: virtual Fees: $12,000 for client and up to 4 comp
Service Type: Service Offered
Develop a market analysis report and presentation for technology company product. Study includes a SWOT analysis of client and up to 4 competitors (additional competitors can be added for an additional fee) and an executive briefing (virtual)
Develop thought leadership content - blog, article or eBook
Location: virtual Fees: To be negotiated based on content
Service Type: Service Offered
Develop thought leadership content in the form of a blog post, an article or an eBook. Subjects include customer experience, subscriber experience, digital first, digital transformation, CRM, project based ERP, sales tech, subscription management, customer advocacy, etc. (See profile for areas of expertise).
Communication Channel Preferences for Mobile Consumers
Location: Virtual Date : May 10, 2023 - May 10, 2023 Organizer: Sendbird
Arion Research surveyed 1200 global consumers who use mobile apps about their communication channel preferences for interacting with businesses. The survey asked consumers 18 years and older from 14 countries around the world which channels they use, prefer, trust and pay attention to when interacting with businesses. The survey reveals that not all channels are equal for consumer trust and attention when it comes to different types of business communication.
Register for this Sendbird webinar with Michael Fauscette of Arion Research to learn more about:
* Why mobile apps matter as a channel to connect with customers
* Consumer preferences for push notifications from mobile apps
* How consumer experiences with SMS have changed in the past 12 months
* Consequences for poor business communication practices
Join Thinkers360 for free! Are you a Reader/Writer, Thought Leader/Influencer (looking to increase your earnings), or an Enterprise User (looking to work with experts)?
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Data Privacy Considerations When Implementing Specialized AI Agents
Measuring Success: KPIs for Specialized AI Agent Performance
The Three-Dimensional Framework for Agentic AI: A Strategic Guide to Autonomy, Authority, and Resilience
AI in Human Resources: Transforming Talent Acquisition, Employee Engagement, and Performance Management
AI-Powered Personalization in E-Commerce
The Future of Adaptive Enterprises with Agentic AI
Dynamic Pathways: Autonomous AI and the Evolution of Customer Journey Mapping
The Role of Planning and Reasoning in Next-Generation AI Agents
Measuring the ROI of AI Investments
Research Brief: ZohoDay Analyst Summit 2025
Research Brief: SugarCRM Analyst Summit 2025
The Impact of AI on Business Resilience
AI Driven Business Decisions
The Impact of AI on Employee Productivity
Autonomous AI Agents: Automating the Enterprise
Decision Intelligence Trends for 2025
Customer Experience Trends for 2025
The Agent Service Bus: The Most Important Infrastructure Nobody Is Building
The Enterprise App Collapse: How AI Agents Are Forcing a New Architecture
Governance as a Competitive Advantage: Why the Safest Companies Will Be the Fastest
The Auditability of "Vibe": Turning High-Dimensional Intent into Regulatory Proof
Algorithmic Circuit Breakers: Preventing "Flash Crashes" of Logic in Autonomous Workflows
Human-in-the-Lead: From Manual Pilots to Strategic Flight Controllers
The Agentic Service Bus: Governing Inter-Agent Politics and Preventing Algorithmic Collusion
Agentic Identity and Privilege: Why Your AI Needs an Employee ID and a Security Clearance
The Semantic Interceptor: Controlling Intent, Not Just Words
From "Filters" to "Foundations": Why the Post-Hoc Guardrail Is Failing the Agentic Era
Brand Voice as Code: Why Your AI Agent's Personality Is a Governance Problem
The "Agent Orchestrator": The New Middle Manager Role of 2026
The Dual Maturity Framework: Bridging the Gap Between Organizational Readiness and AI Autonomy
The Agentic Service Bus: A New Architecture for Inter-Agent Communication
The Death of the "Generalist" Dashboard: Why 2026 Belongs to Vertical Agentic Workflows
From "Human-in-the-Loop" to "Human-in-the-Lead": Designing Agency for Trust, Not Just Automation
Code vs. Character: How Anthropic's Constitution Teaches Claude to "Think" Ethically
Beyond Trial and Error: How Internal RL is Redefining AI Agency
Depth Over Breadth: Why General AI is Stalling and Vertical AI is Booming
Beyond Retrieval: Why Agents Need Memory, Not Just Search
The Missing Layer: Why Enterprise Agents Need a "System of Agency"
The State of Agentic AI in 2025: A Year-End Reality Check
Enterprise AI Is a System, Not a Model
Conflict Resolution Playbook: How Agentic AI Systems De-tect, Negotiate, and Resolve Disputes at Scale
Beyond Bottlenecks: Dynamic Governance for AI Systems
The Digital Workforce
Chairman
Independent Director
The Complete Agentic AI Readiness Assessment: Strategies for Navigating the Autonomous Future
Building the Digital Workforce: Strategies for Agentic AI Success
Arion Research LLC
The Digital Workforce Revolution: What 442 Business Leaders Revealed About Agentic AI
Ethical Risk Zones for Agentic AI
The Evolution of RAG: From Simple Retrieval to Multi- Agent Reasoning
Generative AI Industry Use Cases
Generative AI Use Cases
Large Action Models
Business Adoption and Use of Artificial Intelligence
Business Adoption and Use of AI
Curiosity Doesn't Kill the Cat with Michael Fauscette
From SEO to AEO: Preparing Your Content for AI Discovery
MCP, AI Agents, and the Future of Network Infrastructure
Building Visibility: How Personal Brand Drives Business Growth
AI in the Back Office: Where the Real Enterprise Value Is Hiding
The Human Blind Spot: Why Trust Is Your Biggest Cybersecurity Vulnerability
Building Trust Through Empathy: How AI Companions Support Grief Work
Vertical AI in Action: How One Insurance Company Transformed Go To Market, Underwriting, and Claims
January 2026 AI Pulse
When Machines Create: An IP Attorney's Perspective on AI Innovation
ChatGPT Isn't Your Strategy: What Business Leaders Get Wrong About AI
The State of Agentic AI in 2025: A Year End Reality Check
December 2025 AI Pulse
Teaching Machines to Think Like Humans Who Think Differently
AIOps Unfiltered: What Actually Works
November 2025 AI Pulse
Books, Bots, and the New Rights Economy: How AI Is Rewriting Publishing
Agentic AI Trends for 2026
When AI Gives the Wrong Answer: Optimizing Customer Experience
October 2025 AI Pulse
America's AI Talent Crunch
September 2025 AI Pulse
Regaining Trust Through Connected Selling
Communication Channel Preferences for Mobile Consumers
Michael Fauscette's 2026 Predictions for B2B Thought Leadership
Board Director / Advisory Board Member
B2B Reviews and Customer Advocacy Programs
Competitive Market Analysis
Develop thought leadership content - blog, article or eBook
Communication Channel Preferences for Mobile Consumers
Advisor
