Note 1. Business Overview

Business

Cerence Inc. (referred to in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q as “we,” “our,” “us,” “ourselves,” the “Company” or “Cerence”) is a global, premier provider of AI-powered assistants and innovations for connected and autonomous vehicles. Our customers include all major automobile original equipment manufacturers (“OEMs”), or their tier 1 suppliers worldwide. We deliver our solutions on a white-label basis, enabling our customers to deliver customized virtual assistants with unique, branded personalities and ultimately strengthening the bond between automobile brands and end users. We generate revenue primarily by selling software licenses and cloud-connected services. In addition, we generate professional services revenue from our work with OEMs and suppliers during the design, development and deployment phases of the vehicle model lifecycle and through maintenance and enhancement projects.

COVID-19 Update

In March 2020, the World Health Organization characterized COVID-19 as a pandemic. In an effort to contain COVID-19 or slow its spread, governments around the world have enacted various measures, some of which have been subsequently rescinded, modified or reinstated, including orders to close all businesses not deemed “essential,” isolate residents to their homes or places of residence, and practice social distancing.

We have taken numerous steps in our approach to addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, as described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022. We continue to closely monitor ongoing developments in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on our business.

The full extent to which the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic adversely affects our financial performance will depend on future developments, many of which are outside of our control, are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, including, but not limited to: the duration and scope of the pandemic; its severity; the emergence of new variants of the virus, such as Omicron; the development and availability of effective treatments and vaccines; the speed at which vaccines are administered; and how quickly and to what extent normal economic and operating conditions can resume.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in, and may continue to result in, additional governmental restrictions and regulations, which has adversely affected, and may continue to adversely affect our business and financial results. We have seen, and anticipate that we will continue to see, supply chain challenges in the automotive industry related to semiconductor devices that are used in automobiles. The current macroeconomic conditions have also increased competition for qualified employees in our industry, particularly for members of our professional service teams, and we, along with automotive OEMs, face significant competition in hiring and retaining them. In addition, a recession, depression or other sustained adverse market impact resulting from COVID-19 or other market factors could materially and adversely affect our business, our access to needed capital and liquidity, and the value of our common stock. Even after the COVID-19 pandemic has lessened or subsided, we may continue to experience adverse impacts on our business and financial performance as a result of its global economic impact.