--- title: "CMS Kickoff 2026: Perspectives on AI, Open Source, and Digital Sovereignty" url: "https://b13.com/knowledge/cms-kickoff-2026" description: CMS Kickoff 2026 in Florida brought together agencies, CMS experts, and open source communities to discuss AI, digital sovereignty, and the future of content management systems from a global perspective. image: "https://b13.com/fileadmin/_processed_/6/8/csm_CMSflorida_Sharing_90d366cb5c.png" date: 2026-01-19 modified: 2026-08-19 lastUpdated: 2026-08-19 keywords: - "CMS Kickoff 2026: AI" - Open Source - and Digital Sovereignty --- # CMS Kickoff 2026: Perspectives on AI, Open Source, and Digital Sovereignty [ Open Source ](https://b13.com/knowledge/open-source) CMS Kickoff 2026: Perspectives on AI, Open Source, and Digital Sovereignty ============================================================================ ![](https://b13.com/fileadmin/_processed_/a/d/csm_david_5ce18d41e2.jpg)David Steeb 19 January 2026 [ RSS Feed ](https://b13.com/rss.xml) ![Colorful palm leaves surround a central circular logo featuring a stylized design in orange and white, set against a light background.](https://b13.com/fileadmin/_processed_/3/a/csm_CMSflorida_Headerbild_e420025a1f.webp) In early January, I had the opportunity to attend **CMS Kickoff 2026** in Florida (St. Petersburg/Tampa) as a representative of **b13**. CMS Kickoff is known for bringing together people from very different CMS backgrounds: enterprise vendors, agencies, analysts, open source communities, and end users. This diversity of perspectives is what makes the conference particularly valuable. As part of the broader TYPO3 community presence at the event, CMS Kickoff offered a valuable outside view: how our topics, challenges, and solutions compare on a global stage—particularly beyond the European market. As expected, **AI** was a dominant theme throughout the conference. Many talks explored how artificial intelligence is changing content creation, agency workflows, and CMS architectures. A few sessions stood out to me in particular. ![Karla Santi presents a slideshow titled "SHIFT HAPPENS: What's Really Changing for Agencies in 2026"](https://b13.com/fileadmin/_processed_/0/a/csm_20260113_104351_a382cd3ad2.webp) Karla Santi on stage at CMS Kickoff 2026, presenting her talk "Shift happens". Photo by Janus Boye. Shifts in the Agency Landscape -------------------------------- In her talk **“Shift Happens”**, Karla Santi, CEO at [Blend Interactive](https://www.blendinteractive.com/), shared insights into the **current state, outlook, and expectations** within the agency world in the United States, based in part on survey data gathered across agencies. Several of these themes felt very familiar. She described how, over the past year, agencies have experienced longer decision-making cycles on the client side, with more effort required to get projects started at all. Budget constraints have increasingly led to projects being split into smaller phases or sub-projects rather than large, long-term engagements. As a result, agencies have had to adapt their processes, planning, and positioning. What made the talk especially valuable was how strongly these observations resonated with our own experiences in Europe. Seeing these patterns framed as part of a broader, global shift was encouraging—and helped place our day-to-day challenges at b13 into a wider context. AI and the Content Supply Chain --------------------------------- Another highlight was **“AI-Enabling the Content Supply Chain”** by George Chang ([Hexagon](https://hexagon.com/)). Rather than focusing on AI as a generic add-on, the talk emphasized the importance of **preparing systems structurally** for meaningful AI integration. The core idea: AI can only produce useful results for editors if it is grounded in well-defined content models, metadata, and workflows. In a CMS context, this means enabling scenarios where editors can, for example, generate an initial draft for a new page that already matches the intended structure and purpose of that page. This perspective aligns closely with how we think about CMS architecture: AI is most effective when it builds on solid foundations rather than trying to replace them. TYPO3 already provides a strong basis for this, and at b13 we work with semantically structured content models for our clients—an approach that clearly aligns with where the industry is heading. ![Karim Marucci's presentation “Why Europe's pursuit of digital sovereignty is important for US companies (and what can be done about it)”](https://b13.com/fileadmin/_processed_/9/f/csm_Karim_9f02a012e3.webp) Karim Marucchi presenting his talk on stage at CMS Kickoff 2026. Photo by b13. Digital Sovereignty from a US Perspective ------------------------------------------- Particularly interesting for us as a European agency was Karim Marucchi’s (CEO at [Crowd Favorite](https://crowdfavorite.com/)) talk **“Why Europe’s Push for Digital Sovereignty Matters to US Enterprises (and What to Do About It)”**. The talk highlighted how European legislation and concepts such as data protection, data residency, and privacy **are perceived—and increasingly need to be taken into account—outside of Europe**. Rather than treating these topics as purely regulatory concerns, Karim made it clear that companies should actively prepare for them, because these questions *will* inevitably arise. A key takeaway was a practical checklist Karim presented, aimed at CMS vendors and agencies. This checklist helps clarify the questions customers are likely to ask in the future and enables organizations to develop qualified, well-founded answers in advance—so they are not caught unprepared when these discussions start. For us, this reinforced the relevance of topics we have been dealing with for years, and showed how European perspectives are increasingly shaping international expectations. ![A group of people engaged in discussion around a round table in a conference setting, with additional attendees in the background.](https://b13.com/fileadmin/_processed_/1/8/csm_DSCF2407_4392241528.webp) Photo by Janus Boye. Open Source in 2026: A Roundtable Discussion ---------------------------------------------- A defining element of CMS Kickoff is its **roundtable discussions**. At the table **“What now? Open Source CMS in 2026”**, moderated by Roger Williams (Community Manager at [Kinsta](https://kinsta.com/)), we discussed the role of open source with participants from very different market segments. What made this exchange valuable was the mix of viewpoints: people fully committed to proprietary systems, hybrid approaches, and open source. As representatives of an open source ecosystem, it was refreshing to discuss assumptions, concerns, and expectations openly—and to realize how often open source solutions are still judged based on outdated perceptions. When “Solved Problems” Reappear --------------------------------- One interesting moment came from a short talk focused on **caching**. From a TYPO3 perspective, this felt almost surprising: caching has long been a solved problem for us, thanks to TYPO3’s built-in caching framework. It was a reminder that challenges considered fundamental in one ecosystem may already be largely invisible in another. This kind of contrast is one of the strengths of cross-system conferences like CMS Kickoff. ![A speaker in a black t-shirt gestures while presenting in front of a screen displaying a dashboard interface and QR code.](https://b13.com/fileadmin/_processed_/4/6/csm_DSCF2742_7bba10aa77.webp) TYPO3 Ambassador Mathias Bolt Lesniak showcasing the new QR code feature in TYPO3 v14.1. Photo by Marta Cukierman. CMS Idol Contest: TYPO3 on Stage ---------------------------------- The **CMS Idol Contest** added a lighter but insightful element to the conference. Different systems had six minutes each to present themselves to the audience and jury. TYPO3 Ambassador Mathias Bolt Lesniak showcased a new backend feature for the simple creation and management of QR codes and finished in **second place**, just a few votes behind the winner—a strong result and a good example of how practical, editor-focused features can resonate with a broad audience. ![Two people engage in conversation near a large puzzle spread out on a table, with a statue of a mounted figure holding an umbrella in the background.](https://b13.com/fileadmin/_processed_/a/2/csm_20260113_111146_98489064b4.webp) Photo by Janus Boye. Takeaways ----------- CMS Kickoff 2026 was an intense conference: many conversations, many new contacts, and a remarkably open exchange across system boundaries. For me, it was less about individual tools or features and more about **perspective**—understanding where our own experiences fit into a larger, international context. Janus Boye and the team at Boye & Co did an excellent job bringing together experts from very different areas. I found the format refreshing, and having colleagues like Florian and Benni already involved in the CMS Experts groups, I can only echo the consistently positive feedback around this diverse and open community. Events like this confirm that topics such as AI readiness, open source sustainability, and digital sovereignty are no longer niche concerns. They are shaping the future of CMS and digital projects worldwide—and they are topics we at b13 will continue to engage with actively. ### Written by: ![Bild von David Steeb](https://b13.com/fileadmin/_processed_/a/d/csm_david_cf042ebb7f.webp) b13 Founder and CEO, David, is someone you’ll meet if you’re thinking about working with our agency. He is constantly learning new skills and is an influential part of our cutting-edge frontend practice. David Steeb CEO [ more from David Steeb ](https://b13.com/team/david-steeb) Related Articles ------------------ - ![A purple graphic featuring a smartphone icon with three horizontal bars, surrounded by illustrations of vintage telephones.](https://b13.com/fileadmin/_processed_/2/5/csm_EXTphonenumber_Headerbild_93d5de1696.webp) ### Clean Phone Numbers in TYPO3: Why We Built EXT:phone\_number 11 August 2026 | David Steeb TYPO3 stores phone numbers as tel: links, but doesn’t format them for output. Meet EXT:phone\_number, a Fluid ViewHelper for clean, consistent numbers. [ Read more: Clean Phone Numbers in TYPO3: Why We Built EXT:phone\_number ](https://b13.com/knowledge/clean-phone-numbers-in-typo3) - ![Cartoon trophy character surrounded by hands giving thumbs up and a heart gesture, set against a gear-patterned background.](https://b13.com/fileadmin/_processed_/f/7/csm_T3ppy_Design_Kit_Headerbild_b51eb9dc31.webp) ### T3ppy Gives TYPO3 a Friendly Face 06 August 2026 | Florian “Flix” Keitgen TYPO3 is powerful—but it doesn’t have to feel impersonal. Meet T3ppy, our friendly companion for the backend. [ Read more: T3ppy Gives TYPO3 a Friendly Face ](https://b13.com/knowledge/t3ppy-design-kit) - ![Gavel labeled "AI" on a circuit-patterned background with yellow stars, symbolizing regulation or legislation related to artificial intelligence in the EU.](https://b13.com/fileadmin/_processed_/1/0/csm_EUAIAct_Headerbild_510724b3de.webp) ### AI Content in TYPO3: Labelling Needs Accountability 02 August 2026 | Benni Mack The EU AI Act brings the origins of AI-generated content into focus. AI Label marks AI-generated and AI-edited content in TYPO3 and records who signed off the published version—for… [ Read more: AI Content in TYPO3: Labelling Needs Accountability ](https://b13.com/knowledge/ai-content-in-typo3-labelling-needs-accountability) - ![Hands holding puzzle pieces are positioned around a partially completed puzzle depicting a computer interface.](https://b13.com/fileadmin/_processed_/d/7/csm_StopBuyingPlatforms_Headerbild_8a41a82f8a.webp) ### Stop Buying Platforms. Start Building Ecosystems. 09 June 2026 | David Steeb The first TYPO3 Summit North America opened with a keynote that reframes how enterprise teams should think about content management—from platforms to ecosystems, from vendor… [ Read more: Stop Buying Platforms. Start Building Ecosystems. ](https://b13.com/knowledge/stop-buying-platforms-start-building-ecosystems) - ![Colorful fish illustrations surround a central logo that reads "TYPO3 Summit.](https://b13.com/fileadmin/_processed_/4/3/csm_NorthAmericaSummit_Headerbild_5fbbbbb529.webp) ### Notes from Atlanta—What the First TYPO3 Summit North America Says About the Next Decade of Enterprise CMS 22 May 2026 | David Steeb Field report from the first TYPO3 Summit North America in Atlanta. On governance that can’t be acquired, predictable seven-year lifecycles, the FAIR distribution layer, and why the… [ Read more: Notes from Atlanta—What the First TYPO3 Summit North America Says About the Next Decade of Enterprise CMS ](https://b13.com/knowledge/atlanta-typo3-summit-north-america-enterprise-cms) - ![A rocket labeled "V14" launches into the sky, surrounded by a group of people celebrating with raised arms.](https://b13.com/fileadmin/_processed_/3/d/csm_v14_Celebration_Headerbild_3d4170fdc5.webp) ### Happy Release Day TYPO3 v14: Why This Release Shows the True Strength of Open Source 21 April 2026 | Florian “Flix” Keitgen TYPO3 v14 improves workflows for editors, marketing teams, and developers—and shows how community-driven open source creates real impact. [ Read more: Happy Release Day TYPO3 v14: Why This Release Shows the True Strength of Open Source ](https://b13.com/knowledge/happy-release-day-typo3-v14-why-this-release-shows-the-true-strength-of-open-source) - ![Four file folders displaying a bar graph with orange bars, set against a light blue background with abstract document outlines.](https://b13.com/fileadmin/_processed_/7/2/csm_PageInfoTabs_Headerbild_1e3eda44e5.webp) ### Taming the Page Module Header—Why We Built EXT:page\_info\_tabs 31 March 2026 | David Steeb When multiple TYPO3 extensions add content to the page module header, things quickly become messy. EXT:page\_info\_tabs structures everything into clean Bootstrap tabs, with zero… [ Read more: Taming the Page Module Header—Why We Built EXT:page\_info\_tabs ](https://b13.com/knowledge/taming-the-page-module-header-why-we-built-extpage-info-tabs) - ![User interface design featuring a dark sidebar with navigation options and a central content area with placeholder text.](https://b13.com/fileadmin/_processed_/6/6/csm_V14BackendUX_Headerbild_6dcecb335f.webp) ### Designing TYPO3 14’s Backend: Our Vision for a Modern, Expandable Foundation 12 January 2026 | Laura Heine b13 is redesigning TYPO3’s backend for version 14 to feel modern, work faster, maintain user context, and create an expandable foundation that can evolve for years to come. [ Read more: Designing TYPO3 14’s Backend: Our Vision for a Modern, Expandable Foundation ](https://b13.com/knowledge/designing-typo3-14s-backend-our-vision-for-a-modern-expandable-foundation) - ![A hand holds up a golden trophy with a logo, set against a blurred background of a building.](https://b13.com/fileadmin/_processed_/8/c/csm_ContainerAward_Headerbild_2a5154cdcb.webp) ### TYPO3 Awards: Container Extension wins “Best TYPO3 Extension” 28 November 2025 | Florian “Flix” Keitgen The Container Extension by Achim Fritz (b13) wins the TYPO3 Award 2025. A recognition for open source, clarity, and true TYPO3 DNA. [ Read more: TYPO3 Awards: Container Extension wins “Best TYPO3 Extension” ](https://b13.com/knowledge/typo3-awards-container-extension-wins-best-typo3-extension) - ![Colorful sneakers are repeated in a pattern, with a central logo featuring "TYPO3 Code Sprint."](https://b13.com/fileadmin/_processed_/6/c/csm_CodesprintGenf25_Headerbild_c44149748c.webp) ### Coding, Collaboration, and Community: My Week at the TYPO3 v14 Feature Sprint in Geneva 05 November 2025 | Oliver Bartsch Five days, 14 contributors, countless ideas—and 55 patches created! Our team at b13 joined the TYPO3 v14 Feature Sprint in Geneva to push key improvements for backend UX, APIs, and… [ Read more: Coding, Collaboration, and Community: My Week at the TYPO3 v14 Feature Sprint in Geneva ](https://b13.com/knowledge/coding-collaboration-and-community-my-week-at-the-typo3-v14-feature-sprint-in-geneva)