The IT channel is on the cusp of some major AI advancements - reaping the benefits of a technology that’s been evolving for years. Nearly half of solution providers are preparing for a significant AI impact in the next one to two years, according to research done by IPED - the consulting branch of CRN’s parent company. Additionally, 13 percent of solution providers who are experiencing a significant impact on their businesses are the ones aggressively investing in AI. CRN editors have observed this trend firsthand, seeing the surge in interest and investments in AI technologies.
AI and Security
Wade Millward, senior associate editor at CRN said, “I've heard from a lot of solution providers that the interest in AI has really spurred just a massive interest in IT overall. I've seen it on the cloud side. I've heard of a lot of customers investing in private cloud and in having their data centers on-site again. Maybe that's because for those customers security is an issue. They want to do AI, but they want to see how they can lower their risk, and latency is also a really big issue. They're investing in those kinds of technologies.”
AI is also making a strong impact on security operations. Senior editor at CRN Kyle Alspach explained, “I think the biggest way that Gen AI is going to be used, especially when it comes to things channel partners care about, is just really for automation of security. Lots of solution providers either work with or have their own security operations center. And there's just a tremendous number of routine activities that people who are working in a security operations center or a SOC have to do. The biggest thing I keep hearing about, at this stage, is just that automating the activity in the SOC is going to be a huge thing.”
Next Wave of Client Solutions
Tackling AI workloads is no easy feat. It requires a combination of advanced computational resources, specialized expertise, robust data management strategies and efficient storage solutions. Vendors like Dell Technologies are recognizing the needs of solution providers and stepping up to fill the gaps, seizing the opportunity to deliver the next wave of essential solutions for the channel.
“We really made it easy for our partners to position solutions for these AI opportunities. We introduced AI factories at Dell Technologies World. These are validated designs and solutions that partners can basically build their services in consulting capabilities around our infrastructure. And we're seeing great traction there and a lot of interest. It’s created a “hit the easy button” opportunity for our partners of being able to provide solutions to their customer base,” said Gregg Ambulos, SVP of North America channel sales at Dell Technologies.
Training and Support for Partners
To further address the needs of solution providers, vendors such as Microsoft and OpenText continue to invest in advanced training and comprehensive support programs. Microsoft partner success manager at OpenText Lynda Mahabir highlighted, “We offer CSP Masters Sales and technical boot camp trainings in person and virtually. We provide webinars and one-to-one Copilot consultations. We've been helping eligible partners leverage programs like CSP briefings to enable them to demonstrate the value of Copilot to their customers themselves.”
Cyril Belikoff, VP of Azure and industry from Microsoft added, “We executed AI workshops and boot camps almost to 700,000 learners in the last 12 months. We will continue to accelerate that with the demands and the needs from partners around getting skilled. We have AI partner training days, which are in-person experiences, and we'll continue to do those as well. We have a lot of opportunities to get skilled up.”
The AI revolution continues to reshape the landscape for solution providers driving significant investments and interest in AI technologies. As businesses navigate the complexities of AI, workloads having the right solutions and support is essential.
Stay tuned for continuous coverage in the AI In Action Digital Newsroom.
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29 окт 2024
