Appian Corporation (APPN) knocks third-quarter earnings expectations, up 22% year-over-year and beating both top and bottom lines. CEO and Founder Matt Calkins joins Asking for a Trend, attributing the company’s performance to its successful pivot toward profitability, securing large deals, and the push for agentic AI. Calkins tells Josh Lipton that he’s optimistic about the future of AI policy with Elon Musk’s role in the election — pushing for a more serious approach to AI regulation. Looking at the global competitive landscape, Calkins explains the US’s advantage over China, stating, “we’re going to be the AI pioneer that can build that bridge of trust with the citizens and create AI products that people will invest their own data into.” To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Asking for a Trend here. This post was written by Cindy Mizaku.