Top 10 AI Predictions for the Channel in 2026: What You Need to Know

John McCabe

IT Budget Growth Is Moderating: But AI Wins

Here’s some context for all these predictions: overall IT budget growth is expected to moderate to 3.4 percent year-on-year in 2026, down slightly from 3.5 percent in 2025. Organizations are consolidating vendor spend and reallocating budgets.

But here’s the silver lining: solution providers focused on AI and software are best positioned to benefit from these reallocated budgets. Companies aren’t cutting AI spending: they’re cutting elsewhere to fund AI initiatives.

For channel partners, this means doubling down on your AI capabilities and making sure you’re part of the conversation when customers are deciding where to invest their limited dollars.

What This Means for Your Channel Strategy

So where does all this leave you? Here’s our take on the action items:

  1. Strengthen vendor relationships now while AI companies are investing heavily in partner programs
  2. Develop industry-specific expertise to meet the demand for proven ROI
  3. Stay current on emerging technologies like agentic AI, edge AI, and physical AI
  4. Build security into everything you do
  5. Experiment with new business models before the market forces your hand
  6. Plan for supply chain volatility and communicate proactively with customers

The channel landscape in 2026 is full of opportunity: but only for those who are prepared to adapt.

This article summarizes key insights from CRN’s Top 10 AI Predictions For The Channel In 2026. We encourage you to read the full piece for additional context and analysis.

Need help navigating these changes? At The Partner Architects Group, we specialize in helping businesses build and optimize their channel partner strategies for the AI era. Let’s talk about how we can help you stay ahead of the curve.