New Categories Introduced to G2 in September 2025

The business technology industry is shifting faster than ever. New B2B technology markets are emerging at the intersection of rapid innovation, changing buyer expectations, and global economic forces. Cloud-native infrastructures, AI-driven automation, and the rise of specialized vertical solutions are rewriting the rules for how companies evaluate, buy, and adopt software.

But it isn't just about the technology itself. Market gaps are forming because traditional tools no longer keep up with modern challenges-whether it's scaling distributed teams, securing complex digital ecosystems, or personalizing customer engagement at scale. Consequently, G2's Market Research teamis leading the way in staying ahead of these market shifts by ensuring our marketplace accurately reflects all the innovations taking place. Continue reading to discover the seven new categories that were created in G2's taxonomy during September.

1. AI Agents for HR

About this category: AI Agents for HRutilize NLP and machine learning to manage HR queries, streamline new hire onboarding, process various HR requests, and customize communication for a large workforce. Their integration with existing HR systems significantly boosts team efficiency, lowers support ticket volumes, and elevates the overall employee experience throughout the organization.

Why it was introduced:

"Given the increasing complexity faced by HR teams and employees' demand for immediate, personalized assistance, AI agents are no longer a luxury but a strategic imperative. These digital HR partners do more than simply automate tasks; they are constantly available, scalable solutions that enhance efficiency and significantly improve the employee experience."

- Shalaka Joshi, Sr. Research Analyst for Data and AI

The top 3 products in this category, ranked by popularity at the time of launch, are:

• Deel
• Aisera
• Amelia

2. AI Recruiting

About this category: AI recruiting softwareincludes platforms that use artificial intelligence to enhance and automate key stages of the hiring process. These tools often apply machine learning and natural language processing to support tasks such as candidate sourcing, matching, resume screening, and personalized communication. Unlike traditional recruiting platforms or general applicant tracking systems, AI Recruiting solutions emphasize intelligent automation and decision-making capabilities designed to improve efficiency, reduce bias, and strengthen the overall candidate experience. This category reflects the growing role of AI in modern recruitment practices, providing a clear distinction for buyers and vendors alike.

Why it was introduced:

"As companies increasingly turn to AI to streamline hiring, we've introduced the AI Recruiting category to spotlight solutions that go beyond traditional automation. These platforms apply core machine learning and natural language processing to deliver intelligent decision-making capabilities from candidate matching to personalized engagement, helping businesses hire faster, smarter, and with greater confidence in a competitive talent market."

- Inia Debnath, Associate Market Research Analyst of HR and Customer Service

The top 3 products in this category, ranked by popularity at the time of launch, are:

• Paradox
• Sense
• Alex AI

3. Background Check Services

About this category: Background check servicesare third-party providers that combine technology and expert verification to deliver accurate, compliant screenings for safer hiring, and workforce management. Unlike background check software, which offers self-service tools, these services combine automated data searches with expert human verification to deliver accurate and legally compliant results.

They cover a wide range of screenings, including criminal record checks, employment and education verification, financial history, drug testing, and continuous monitoring.

Why it was introduced:

"This category was introduced to differentiate service-based background screening providers from background check software platforms. While both aim to support trust and risk management, they operate differently:

• Background Check Services: Outsourced, compliance-driven, and expert-validated
• Background Check Software: Automation-driven, HR-managed, and self-service

As global hiring expands and remote workforces grow, organizations need specialized providers who can navigate international laws, perform manual verifications, and deliver legally defensible results.

Creating a separate category for Background Check Services ensures buyers can quickly find providers that offer end-to-end, expert-driven screening solutions required for safe, compliant, and efficient workforce management."

- Sanjana V. Prasad, Associate Market Research Analyst of Commerce, ERP, Supply Chain, and CAD/PLM

The top 3 products in this category, ranked by popularity at the time of launch, are:

• VICTIG Background Checks
• HireRight
• Cisive

4. Data Security Posture Management

About this category: Data Security Posture Management(DSPM) tools help organizations understand and protect sensitive data, no matter where it lives. These platforms automatically find, classify, and monitor data across cloud, SaaS, and on-premises environments, making it easier for security teams to spot risks and take quick action to keep information safe.

Why it was introduced:

"DSPM emerged as businesses demanded a more data-focused approach to security. While other posture management tools focus on specific environments, DSPM looks at data itself-offering a unified way to manage risk. As more vendors brand their solutions around DSPM, a dedicated category makes it easier for buyers to evaluate and compare these products."

- Lauren Worth, Senior Research Analyst

The top 3 products in this category, ranked by popularity at the time of launch, are:

• Wiz
• Securiti
• IBM Guardium Data Security Posture Management

5. Secure Service Edge (SSE) Solutions

About this category: Secure Service Edge (SSE) Solutionsdeliver cloud-native security that protects users' devices and data wherever they connect from. These platforms consolidate core services-such as Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), Secure Web Gateway (SWG), Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB), and often Firewall-as-a-Service (FWaaS)-into a single framework that simplifies management and policy enforcement. By focusing exclusively on security rather than network transport, SSE enables organizations to reduce complexity, strengthen access controls, and protect against cloud-based threats. It's especially valuable for enterprises supporting hybrid or remote workforces and those relying heavily on SaaS and cloud environments.

Why it was introduced:

"SSE was introduced to give security teams a clearer, more precise way to evaluate solutions within the broader SASE framework. While SASE includes both networking and security, SSE focuses solely on the security layer, making it a better fit for products that don't provide network transport or optimization. This distinction reflects how vendors now market their solutions and how buyers search for them-driving the need for a dedicated category that improves clarity, streamlines discovery, and helps vendors position offerings based on their core strengths."

- Lauren Worth, Senior Research Analyst

The top 3 products in this category, ranked by popularity at the time of launch, are:

• Aryaka Networks
• Cato SASE Cloud
• Todyl Security Platform

6. Small Language Models (SLMs)

About this category: Small language models(SLMs) are AI language models that are optimized for efficiency and deployment in resource-constrained, compute-limited environments. Due to their optimized architectures, SLMs can be deployed on edge devices and offline systems, providing accessible AI deployment. SLMs are designed to be retrained to maximize specialization, focusing on targeted applications rather than broad intelligence.

Why it was introduced:

"In G2's research of the evolving model industry and the presence of Large Language Models (LLMs), we noticed that there are many language models that are not 'large' and thus, we have created a new category, Small Language Models (SLMs), to differentiate Language Models based on their parameter sizes. LLMs are language models that have more than 10 billion parameters, whereas SLMs are models with fewer than 10 billion parameters. SLMs are emerging due to the cost of LLMs and SLMs' efficiency, specialization, and deployment in resource-constrained environments."

- Blue Bowen, Research Principal

The top 3 products in this category, ranked by popularity at the time of launch, are:

• StableLM
• Mistral 7B
• bloom 560m

7. Trade Compliance

About this category: Trade complianceempowers organizations to certify that their products, components, and accompanying documentation comply with global trade and product regulations. These platforms facilitate compliance management, helping companies mitigate regulatory exposure. By consolidating compliance processes, businesses can manage audits, ensure data accuracy, and enhance cross-border trade. This category solves the pressing challenge of maintaining regulatory alignment amid increasingly complex global supply chains.

Why it was introduced:

"The trade compliance category was introduced to reflect the growing market of solutions designed to manage complex global regulations and documentation. Many products extend beyond general supply chain management, offering specialized compliance capabilities for areas such as FTAs, USMCA, and REACH/RoHS. By formalizing this category, we ensure buyers can identify leading tools that streamline compliance processes, reduce risk, and support cross-border operations."

- Daniel Rivera, G2 Research Analyst for Supply Chain & Logistics and ERP Software

The top 3 products in this category, ranked by popularity at the time of launch, are:

• Descartes Customs & Compliance Suite
• CorityOne
• Vendorvue

There's always something new on G2!

On average, G2's Market Research team adds 5-10 new categories per month, so we encourage you to review our research agendaand utilize the all new G2.aito leave a voice review on the software you recommend!

Come back next month to see additional new categories on G2! And, check out the new categories that went live last month.