In this interview from Appian World 2026, Jeff Renon, director of information systems at Global Excel Management, joins Gregg Aldana, vice president of solutions consulting at Appian, to talk with theCUBE's Dave Vellante and co-host Alison Kosik about how process-centric AI is transforming claims management and operational efficiency in global healthcare administration. Renon describes Global Excel Management's core mandate — accelerating the speed at which claims are adjudicated and information reaches customers across its network of 2,500 employees operating in nine countries. Aldana explains how Appian distinguishes itself by embedding AI directly into process workflows rather than layering it on from the outside, enabling organizations to move from experimentation to production at a pace that generates measurable returns almost immediately. The conversation also explores how the regulated nature of healthcare demands that AI operate within auditable, inspectable frameworks rather than as a black box. Aldana details how every AI agent deployed on Appian must follow defined, governable steps — a critical requirement in environments subject to healthcare compliance rules. The discussion then shifts to a broader competitive argument: rather than using AI to cut headcount, the most aggressive companies are deploying it to double output with the same teams. Renon and Aldana also highlight how adaptability speed — the ability to integrate a new LLM or capability as soon as it emerges — is becoming as important a benchmark metric for CFOs as raw cost savings. From reducing behavioral health claim onboarding from six months to six days to warning that AI will produce market winners and losers faster than any previous technology wave, the discussion makes a compelling case for why process-first AI adoption is the defining competitive differentiator of this era.