The Responsive Podcast

If you’ve been hearing nonstop hype about AI agents but still aren’t sure what they actually do—or how to use them—this episode breaks it down. In this episode of Sit Down with Sunder, AJ Sunder (Responsive CIO & CPO) unpacks what AI agents really are, how they work, and how organizations can start using them to drive real business outcomes.Despite all the excitement around AI agents, most teams aren’t using them yet. Why? Confusion, risk, and unrealistic expectations. Sunder cuts through the noise and focuses on what actually works.What you’ll learn about AI agents:- What defines an AI agent (and what doesn’t)- Why “AI agent hype” is outpacing real adoption- How to get started with AI agents safely- The importance of human-in-the-loop workflows- When to use AI agents vs AI assistants- Common mistakes organizations make early on- How to measure ROI and business impactThe big takeaways from Sunder?- Most organizations should start with AI-assisted workflows, not full agents- The best early use cases are repeatable, auditable, low-risk tasks- AI agents require clean, centralized knowledge to work effectively- Fully autonomous agents can be risky, especially in high-stakes environments- The goal is more than just time savings. Aim for better outcomes and smarter decisionsOne standout idea: treat AI agents like new hires. You wouldn’t give a new employee a critical, irreversible task on day one, so you shouldn't do it with AI agents either. As AI continues to reshape how organizations respond to RFPs, manage knowledge, and collaborate across teams, understanding how to move beyond hype is critical. If you’re looking to turn AI agents into something practical—not theoretical—this conversation is a strong place to start.

In this episode of Sit Down with Sunder, Responsive CIO & CPO AJ Sunder joins host Jennifer Cannizzaro to tackle the question teams are asking in 2026: If AI makes it easy to build software, should you actually build it…or buy it?AI-assisted coding can produce “meaningful applications in an afternoon.” But Sunder argues the real costs show up after the prototype: deployment, ownership, security, compliance, and long-term maintenance—the parts AI hasn’t made easier yet.What you’ll learn:1. Why build vs. buy feels more urgent now than it did even 12 months ago2. The “shiny object” trap: building is fun, but owning is hard. Governance and risk: why internal apps still create real exposure (PII, privacy, access control)3. How to think about systems you don’t want to leave to chance (e.g., CRM, payroll, SRM)4. A practical decision framework + scorecard to evaluate build, buy, or hybridThe framework (quick preview): Sunder’s criteria include: business criticality, user scope, integration complexity, lifecycle velocity, and data sensitivity—and a key reminder: ask these questions before you start building, because teams get emotionally attached fast.Want the full scorecard?⁠ Read the companion blog!About Responsive: Responsive is the AI and industry leader in Strategic Response Management (SRM), helping organizations govern knowledge and deliver trusted, winning responses at scale.

Can we predict AI trends for 2026 without looking ridiculous? 😅 In this first episode of the new "Sit Down with Sunder" Responsive video series, AJ Sunder (Responsive Co-Founder and CIO) joins Jennifer Cannizzaro (VP of Product Marketing) for a candid conversation on what’s next for AI in 2026 — and what it means for bid and proposal teams doing high-stakes work every day.Sunder reminds us all that “the fastest way to look foolish is to predict the future" before getting ultra-specific and into the details of his big three AI predictions for 2026AI agents start working together: agent-to-agent orchestration across tools and workflows.AI is judged by performance under pressure: less “cool demo,” more reliability, repeatability, and real-world accuracy.Governance becomes the deciding factor at scale: AI safety moves from “nice to have” to required for adoption.Sunder also provided three rapid-fire “big bets” for leaders entering 2026:Make sure everyone has access to a baseline AI assistant.Deploy agents around core business workflows to see immediate ROI.Invest in enterprise data and a data governance strategy.Also: the most relatable AI agent example you’ll hear today involves Friday night dinner plans and why humans still want the final call.Video Chapters:00:00 - Intro + why predicting AI can make you look foolish04:17 - Prediction 1 — Agent-to-agent ecosystems06:30 - Prediction 2 — AI engineering maturity + RAG12:40 - Prediction 3 — AI Trust and AI safety19:20 - Rapid-fire — the three big bets for 2026

In this episode of The Responsive Podcast, Joe Kopyt (Responsive) interviews Megan Cutter (CAPTRUST), who shares her journey into the world of RFP management and knowledge management. Megan discusses the evolution of her team, both before and after the introduction of AI, and the importance of technology and collaboration with subject matter experts, particularly in terms of how a single central member can play a crucial role. Megan highlights the role of AI in enhancing CAPTRUST’s RFP processes while still retaining the crucial element of human touch during the writing and review process. This episode also highlights the importance of communication between teams, the importance of building trust in AI and automation, and the evolving future of proposal management.

Join Jennifer Cannizzaro (Responsive) and Matt Schiffman (Co-Founder of Totumai and former Senior Managing Director - Global CMO of Legg Mason) as they delve into the evolving landscape of financial services. Discover how storytelling and AI are reshaping proposal teams, enhancing client experiences, and driving innovation. Jennifer and Matt discuss the challenges and opportunities that come with integrating AI while maintaining compliance and authenticity. This episode of the Responsive Podcast offers fresh and unique perspectives for anyone looking to elevate their approach in the industry.⁠DOWNLOAD Responsive's 2025 Financial Services RFP & Proposal Trends Report⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.responsive.io/blog/introducing-trace-score⁠

Responsive Academy’s Helene Johnson spoke with Lynda English, Senior Director of Research and Proposals at Open Up Resources, to explore how her team overhauled their RFP process with the help of Responsive AI, sparking the “Summer of Responsive.” From eliminating content chaos to building a self-service model for sales, Lynda shares how her team felt more confident than ever using Responsive to scale smartly and sustainably.The results speak volumes: 40% of proposal work offloaded through automation, RFP turnaround time cut from two weeks to two days, and sales team requests dropped from 54 to just 3 in a single year. Lynda reveals how her team used intake surveys to cancel meetings, tagged their most trusted answers with a “golden response,” and turned content cleanup into a company-wide initiative. Looking to refresh your process? This is one blueprint you’ll want to steal.

Want to know how Microsoft's proposal team skyrocketed library usage by 60% using AI? Alexis Hourselt, Director of Microsoft's Proposal Center of Excellence, shares with Responsive exactly how her team has embraced AI-driven Strategic Response Management (SRM) to improve proposal quality, speed, and accessibility across a global organization with over 21,000 users. Learn about Microsoft's innovate "Copilot Challenge," the powerful AI tools they've adopted, and how automation is shaping their future. Discover more about Responsive at ⁠https://www.responsive.io/This interview was recorded in April 2025. In July 2025, Alexis took on a new role at Microsoft as Compliance and Operations Leader.

Responsive's own Jennifer Cannizzaro is joined by APMP's Julia Duke (COO) to explore the findings of the 2025 State of Strategic Response Management (SRM) Survey, highlighting the evolving landscape of proposal teams, buyer behavior, and the integration of AI in Strategic Response Management. Join the two as they discuss the importance of knowledge management, the perception gap between executives and proposal teams, and the necessity for organizations to adapt to technological advancements while maintaining a focus on human resources. Now more than ever, teams need strategic investments in both staffing and technology, as well as the critical role of training and collaboration in leveraging AI effectively.

What do you get when three tech leaders with a shared frustration sit down at a Starbucks and decide to build something better? The co-founders of Responsive (formerly RFPIO) reveal how a common pain point in responding to RFPs sparked the creation of a platform that now powers all types of information exchange at over 2000 organization around the world, including 20+ of the Fortune 100.From that pivotal coffee shop conversation to becoming the category leader in Strategic Response Management (SRM), this is the inside story of how Responsive transformed the way companies approach bids, proposals, and high-stakes information exchange.In this video, the three co-founders cover: How AI has been core to Responsive’s product strategy from day oneThe early product decisions that helped win over customers like Microsoft and SmarshWhy culture and core values remain foundational to our growthHow Responsive became a full SRM platform for the modern enterpriseWhether you lead a proposal team, manage security questionnaires, or just want to see how tech, customer insight, and AI can fuel a company’s growth, this is the story for you.

Join Responsive for a discussion with bidding and proposal expert Darrell Woodward (Director, Prosfora Solutions) as he shares his transition from in-house roles to thriving as a freelancer in the world of proposal management. Hosted by Jennifer Cannizzaro (VP Product Marketing, Responsive), the pair dives into how technology and AI are reshaping the bidding landscape, making processes smarter and more efficient.Darrell discusses the crucial role of knowledge management, the power of building authentic relationships, and why team wellbeing should never be overlooked in high-pressure environments. Darrell challenges the traditional reliance on win rates, proposing more meaningful success metrics for modern bid professionals.Learn more: about Responsive at responsive.io/