In this interview from Appian World 2026, Joe Vidulich, head of government relations at Appian, joins theCUBE's Dave Vellante and co-host Alison Kosik to discuss the fragmented AI regulatory landscape and Appian's role as a credible voice for responsible AI governance. Vidulich, just 45 days into his new role, brings more than 15 years of bipartisan policy experience — including a decade at Capital One — to Appian's expanding policy agenda. He explains how the absence of a federal AI standard has left 50 states drafting their own rules, creating a patchwork that risks stalling American competitiveness. Drawing on Appian's "Serious AI" philosophy, he argues that effective governance requires guardrails, human oversight and policies built around desired outcomes rather than the technology of the day. The conversation also explores how Vidulich navigates Capitol Hill daily, helping lawmakers who often struggle to grasp the basics of agentic AI think through what automation, process and platform can actually deliver for their constituents. He details the National Defense Authorization Act as a near-term vehicle for modernizing the thousands of legacy computing systems — some still running on COBOL — that government agencies depend on. Vidulich also addresses data sovereignty concerns, noting that Appian's ability to sit on top of existing legacy infrastructure without requiring data migration is a key reason intelligence agencies and the Department of Defense trust the American tech stack. From bridging the bipartisan knowledge gap on AI to ensuring the US leads rather than cedes ground to foreign adversaries, Vidulich outlines why Appian is stepping up as a serious participant in shaping the next era of AI policy.