Appian World 2026 – why Appian is making a bet on ‘boring AI’

Do you remember the excitement of your first job? How excited you felt about making a difference?

And then you discovered that work is actually — spoiler — pretty boring.

Attending meetings. Replying to emails. Listening to colleagues drone on. Completing the same assigned tasks over and over again. Eventually it dawns on you — you weren’t employed to change the world, but to stay in your lane and do what you’re told.

Until recently, AI has been in that exciting-new-job phase — jumping around with enthusiasm, keen to impress, but not always burdened by a deep understanding of its responsibilities.

But if my conversation with Sanat Joshi, EVP Product & Solutions at Appian, is any indication, a lot of people now expect AI to settle down. To do the work. To become boring.

And honestly, there is a lot to be said for boring AI.

‘Boring AI’ is not Appian’s ...