Catherine Early
Director of Infrastructure at PGLS
When over 4,000 technology leaders gather in Las Vegas for Info-Tech LIVE 2025, you expect bold ideas. What you might not expect is validation that the strategy your team is building under pressure is the one the industry is now racing to adopt.
For us at PGLS, Info-Tech LIVE wasn’t just a conference. It was confirmation that resilience, cultural fluency, and adaptive tech aren’t just differentiators. They’re requirements.
The Theme: Transform IT. Transform Everything.
This year’s rallying cry was more than marketing. It was a call to action. Technology is no longer a backend function; it’s the connective tissue of how organizations operate, scale, and build trust in the face of global uncertainty.
The message was clear: This is IT’s moment.
At PGLS, we serve mission-driven institutions where communication, precision, and people are everything. We don’t have the luxury of lagging behind trends. We build for what’s next, because the communities we serve can’t afford for us not to.
Exponential IT: Designing for Change
One of the strongest insights from the summit was the concept of Exponential IT: a shift away from rigid roadmaps toward systems that adapt in real time.
As Info-Tech’s CEO put it: “Legacy roadmaps won’t survive exponential change.”
The data backs it up. As the World Uncertainty Index climbs 481% in just six months (now 40% higher than its COVID-era peak), our systems must evolve at the same pace.
At PGLS, we’ve already embraced this mindset. We’ve moved away from static infrastructure toward modular, scalable solutions. Whether it’s adjusting to new compliance frameworks, global service delivery needs, or shifting client priorities – we design to pivot, not patch.
This isn’t just smarter architecture. It’s how we create continuity in environments where reliability isn’t optional.
From Assistive to Agentic AI
Everyone’s talking about AI, but the conversation is changing.
This year, the focus shifted from assistive tools (like chatbots) to agentic AI systems that can act, learn, and make decisions with autonomy.
But this isn’t about replacing people. It’s about reducing the friction that slows them down. The question isn’t whether AI can act, it’s how well it understands context when it does.
That’s why we’re focused on embedding AI across our operations with intention:
- AI-native workflows in interpreter scheduling and client services
- Context-aware decision systems that reduce manual lift
- Ethical governance frameworks that protect human oversight
When AI enhances (not replaces) human clarity, everyone wins.
Culture: Not an Add-On, but a System Requirement
The best tech fails if it can’t account for people. At PGLS, we know firsthand that cultural intelligence is a functional requirement, not a bonus feature.
We don’t localize after we build. We build to localize.
This shows up in how we test user interfaces, structure onboarding, and train support teams in global environments.
This isn’t just empathy – it’s risk mitigation. Systems that understand users are less likely to break in the field.
Interpreting Data into Strategy
Data without action is just noise. One theme echoed across the conference: strategic intelligence means turning insight into behavior.
We’re revamping our internal dashboards and feedback loops to enable better decisions, faster. Whether it’s improving turnaround times or proactively identifying service gaps, we’re asking: Does this data help someone act with confidence?
That’s how trust is built, decision by decision, insight by insight.
Security That Protects People First
Cybersecurity isn’t just about locking down assets. It’s about designing systems your team can use without burnout.
One statistic resonated: 73% of security professionals report reduced stress after deploying AI-powered tools.
We’re investing in automation not just for speed, but for sustainability. From early threat detection to intelligent triage, our goal is to keep security proactive, not reactive. All without overwhelming the people who keep our systems safe.
Leadership at Every Layer
At Info-Tech LIVE, leadership wasn’t framed as a role, it was framed as a capability. The expectation? CIOs and CISOs aren’t just technologists, but translators, visionaries, and culture-shapers.
That message resonated deeply.
We’re embedding leadership development across every IT layer, from the help desk to architecture – because the challenges we face require more than technical fixes. They require people who can motivate, communicate, and adapt under pressure.
Talent is no longer a pipeline issue. It’s a system design issue.
A Strategy Validated, Not Rewritten
Info-Tech LIVE didn’t change our direction. It affirmed it.
We’re not waiting for perfect conditions. We’re building systems that thrive under real-world complexity. That means infrastructure that scales, technology that understands its users, and teams that lead with intention.
Our mission at PGLS is inherently human. And that means our tech must be too.
What Happens Next?
This isn’t just a moment for IT. It’s a mandate.
We are:
- Scaling agentic AI for operational impact
- Redefining how IT communicates value across the organization
- Evolving our leadership pipeline for resilience
- Building systems that adapt as fast as the world changes
At the intersection of communication and technology, we aren’t reacting to change, we’re architecting what comes next.
The future isn’t waiting. Neither are we.
Ready to transform how your team navigates complexity?
Let’s build it, together.