EPC Group tops SEMrush AI sentiment ranking for Microsoft consulting

EPC Group says it ranked No. 1 in favorable AI sentiment and share of voice among Microsoft-focused consulting firms in SEMrush’s U.S. AI Brand Performance Index. The Houston firm says the result, paired with a sixth straight G2 Leader quarter, strengthens its case with regulated enterprise buyers using AI tools to research vendors.

Why it matters: - EPC Group is positioning AI-driven brand visibility as a sales advantage in Microsoft consulting, especially for regulated buyers in healthcare, financial services, and government. - The company says the ranking helps validate its compliance-first delivery model against larger rivals with stronger global brands. - The release frames AI-mediated vendor research as increasingly important for shortlist decisions ahead of Q3 and Q4 2026 Microsoft rollouts.

What happened: - EPC Group said it earned the No. 1 favorable sentiment score and No. 1 share of voice among Microsoft-focused consulting firms in SEMrush’s AI Brand Performance Index for the U.S. market. - The Houston-based Microsoft Solutions Partner said the ranking puts it ahead of Accenture, Avanade, Deloitte, 3Cloud, Capgemini, Cognizant, Protiviti, Slalom and Hitachi Solutions in the Microsoft consulting category. - The announcement came June 9, 2026.

The details: - SEMrush’s index measures how AI systems including ChatGPT, Claude, Google AI mode, Bing, Gemini and Perplexity describe enterprise brands in buyer-research queries. - EPC Group reported a 3.4% AI share of voice and 84% favorable sentiment. - The release listed Accenture at 2.0% share and 45% sentiment, Avanade at 2.0% and 50%, and Deloitte at 2.0% and 39%. - It also listed 3Cloud at 0% share and 67% sentiment, Capgemini at 0% and 40%, Cognizant at 0% and 29%, Protiviti at 0% and 60%, Slalom at 0% and 0%, and Hitachi Solutions at 0% share and not measured. - EPC Group said it led the set on Microsoft-specific business drivers including Microsoft Stack Specialization, Power BI Governance Frameworks, End-to-End Power BI Delivery, Azure Data Platform Engineering, Regulated Industry Compliance Expertise, Managed Analytics Services, and Industry-Specific Analytics Accelerators. - The company said Regulated Compliance Expertise is especially relevant for healthcare, financial services and government buyers. - EPC Group also said its Purview-based model supports HIPAA, SOC 2, FedRAMP, FINRA, CMMC, GxP and EU AI Act readiness. - The company included a link to its Purview Consulting Practice. - Other 2026 milestones cited in the release include Microsoft Solutions Partner status across Data and AI, Modern Work, Infrastructure, Security, Digital and App Innovation, and Business Applications. - EPC Group said it has logged 11,000+ enterprise engagements, zero governance audit failures in 29 years, 1,500+ Power BI implementations, 6,500+ SharePoint deployments, 625+ cloud migrations and 500+ Microsoft Fabric implementations. - The company also cited a perfect Net Promoter Score of 100, more than 200 senior Microsoft consultants, and six U.S. office locations in Houston, Dallas, Chicago, San Antonio, Washington D.C. and Kansas City. - EPC Group said documented client outcomes include an 85% reduction in financial reporting time, 50,000-user tenant migrations with zero downtime, and zero compliance audit findings across 100+ regulated-industry Power BI deployments.

Between the lines: - The release is trying to turn third-party validation into proof that AI systems now surface EPC Group more favorably than better-known consulting brands. - EPC Group is also linking the SEMrush ranking with a separate G2 streak to argue that both AI systems and verified user reviews point in the same direction. - The company said its G2 Leader recognition in Business Intelligence Consulting now spans six consecutive quarters: Fall 2024, Spring 2025, Fall 2025, Winter 2025, Spring 2026 and Summer 2026. - EPC Group said G2 grids are based on verified end-user reviews, which it described as the longest active leader run among regulated-industry-focused Microsoft consulting firms. - Founder and CEO Errin O’Connor said AI systems already understand what Microsoft-first enterprises in regulated industries need from a consulting partner.

What’s next: - EPC Group says buyers are evaluating Microsoft Fabric IQ, Operations Agents, Microsoft Copilot Agent 365 and Foundry production agent capabilities for Q3 and Q4 2026 rollouts after Microsoft Build 2026. - The company is offering fixed-fee accelerators starting at $15,000 and larger transformation programs across Microsoft Fabric, Power BI, Copilot deployment, AI governance, SharePoint migration and Purview implementation. - EPC Group says each statement of work names a senior architect, which it presents as part of its compliance-native delivery model. - The firm says it will continue targeting regulated enterprises with Microsoft transformation and governance services.

The bottom line: - EPC Group is using AI search visibility, review-platform momentum and compliance credentials to distinguish itself from larger Microsoft consulting rivals in regulated markets.