Our January 2026 Semiannual Update introduces a suite of products and capabilities designed to meet these needs. Over the last six months, we’ve focused our efforts on harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) to automate routine tasks, deepening data integration for better decision-making, and providing specialized support for federal agencies. Whether you manage a small municipality or a large federal department, these updates provide the infrastructure you need to serve your community effectively.
Innovating with purpose: The rise of intelligent agents
The most significant shift in our January update centers on how agencies interact with the public through automation. We’re moving beyond simple chatbots to deploy sophisticated, context-aware agents.
GXA channel expansion: SMS, voice, and social (Preview)
Granicus plans to expand Government Experience Agent (GXA) to make it easier for residents to interact conversationally using their preferred channels, including WhatsApp threads. With this update to GXA, residents will be able to use voice commands to submit requests and ask questions or transfer to a live agent. This expansion makes resident-to-agency interactions via GXA more natural, intuitive, and convenient by providing multichannel options for engagement without having to type out a narrative — reducing friction and providing more accessible options.
GXA: Workflow agents (Preview)
The GXA platform sets the standard for accurate, secure, empathetic, and responsible AI in the public sector. We are now introducing a suite of workflow AI agents to GXA to help agencies redefine what is possible in resident and staff interactions using advanced AI orchestration. The new agents combine conversational generative AI with task classification and routing, tightly integrating across key systems of records to elevate public-facing and staff experiences with reliable, real-time service delivery and complex workflow automation.
Unlike traditional bots that rely on rigid scripts, workflow agents use adaptive reasoning and contextual understanding to handle complex, nuanced questions. They can also leverage multiple data sources and tools to speed up service access, reduce friction, and provide accurate, personalized answers. If a resident needs to submit a pothole service request or understand the trash pickup schedule for their address, GXA collects real-time data like location or images to resolve the query immediately. When a resident wants to stay informed, GXA enables them to swiftly locate and interpret details about the city council, planning commission, budget committee, and other public gatherings.
This AI workflow platform — built with orchestration to coordinate activities across multiple agents — reduces the burden on your front-line staff and allows them to focus on complex cases that require human empathy and judgment. And with continuous optimization from our team of experience experts, you get more than technology — you gain confidence in adopting AI at your own pace, aligned to your most critical outcomes.
GXI Professional
The Government Experience Insights (GXI) suite is growing to include GXI Professional, designed to empower agencies with actionable, data-driven insights that drive meaningful outcomes. GXI Professional breaks down data silos, curating insights across digital service delivery, audience engagement, and operational performance. By leveraging advanced AI and behavioral telemetry, it transforms raw data into clear, actionable recommendations tailored to each agency’s goals. With a focus on continuous improvement, GXI Professional enables agencies to diagnose challenges, track progress, and optimize their use of the Government Experience Cloud (GXC) platform, ensuring every insight leads to measurable impact.
Unifying the citizen view with Granicus Customer Data Platform (CDP)
Siloed data remains a primary barrier to effective government service. When resident data lives in disconnected systems, agencies struggle to understand the full scope of a citizen’s needs.
Granicus CDP (Preview)
The initial release of the Granicus CDP will enable users to build segmented audiences using demographic attributes and rich metadata, and activate those otherwise inaccessible, highly targeted email lists for personalized outreach campaigns through Engagement Cloud. In future releases, the Granicus CDP will break down data silos and create a unified profile for each resident. This platform will aggregate interactions from emails, website visits, service requests, and public meetings into a single, secure view.
With the Granicus CDP, you move from reactive service to proactive engagement. If a resident frequently interacts with the same department and content — such as parks and recreation or social services — you can tailor future communications to align with their interests. This holistic view enables you to deliver relevant information to the right people at the right time, fostering trust and increasing satisfaction with public services.
Elevating the federal standard
Federal agencies operate under unique constraints, requiring solutions that meet the highest standards of security and scalability.
Federal Experience Cloud (FXC)
We developed Federal Experience Cloud specifically to address the complexities of the federal landscape. This dedicated environment combines our most powerful engagement and communications tools into a suite authorized for federal use.
Federal Experience Cloud streamlines how agencies deliver digital services. It combines technology, analytics, and expert services to make outreach smarter and more efficient, helping agencies reach the right people, understand their needs, and guide them through complex processes efficiently and securely.
Federal Experience Cloud integrates secure authentication methods, ensuring citizen data remains protected while simplifying access to benefits and services. By consolidating these tools, we help federal partners reduce IT sprawl, lower maintenance costs, and deploy new digital services faster than ever before.
Product taxonomy update
Last year, we began the process of simplifying our product names for a more descriptive taxonomy. You’ve likely seen those new names in use on our site and in our guides and success stories; soon, you’ll be seeing them in-app, as well.
You can find a quick rundown of the new taxonomy in our last semiannual update and a full explanation of each new capability name in this blog.
Enhancing core capabilities
Beyond our major launches, this update includes numerous enhancements across the Granicus platform to improve daily operations and system reliability.
AI-Powered Search Summaries
Later this year, Granicus is introducing AI-Powered Search Summaries to its Website & CMS solutions, a breakthrough capability designed to help government agencies deliver answers faster and more accurately.
Imagine a resident asking, “How do I apply for a business license?” Instead of scrolling through pages of content, AI-Powered Search Summaries instantly delivers a clear, concise answer — saving time for both citizens and staff. Powered by GXA, with built-in guardrails to ensure safe interactions, this capability will help agencies reduce call volume, improve self-service, and make every interaction more accessible and effortless.
Improved reporting dashboards
We updated our reporting interface to provide clearer insights into engagement metrics. New visualization widgets allow you to track email open rates, website traffic, and meeting attendance trends at a glance. You can now schedule automated reports to share key performance indicators with leadership, ensuring transparency in your operations.
Strengthened security protocols
Security remains our top priority. The January update introduces stricter authentication protocols for administrative access. We also expanded our audit logs, giving IT directors a more detailed history of system changes and user activities. These updates ensure you remain compliant with evolving cybersecurity mandates.
Accessibility refinements
We refined our public-facing templates to meet updated accessibility standards. These changes ensure digital content works seamlessly with screen readers and other assistive technologies. By prioritizing accessibility, we help you make government services available to every member of the community, regardless of their ability.
Looking ahead
The progress detailed in the January 2026 Semiannual Update reflects our commitment to empowering government leaders. By integrating intelligent automation, unified data, and secure federal solutions, we provide the foundation for a more responsive and efficient public sector.
We invite you to explore these new features and consider how they can transform your agency’s operations. As you implement these tools, we remain dedicated to supporting your mission to deliver superior government experiences.
For detailed documentation on these updates, please visit the Granicus Support Portal or contact your success consultant to schedule a walkthrough.
