Artificial Intelligence Is No Longer a Playground for the IT Channel

3 June 2026

5 min read

For years, artificial intelligence in the IT channel was a pilot project-great for demos, rarely for the balance sheet. According to the GTIA State of the Channel Report 2026, 31 percent of IT service providers in the DACH region now describe themselves as AI-driven, the highest share of any region. Anyone still saying “we’re testing Copilot” in a client meeting is facing an audience where a third have already turned AI into a business model.

Key Takeaways

DACH leads in AI maturity: 31 percent of IT service providers identify as AI-driven, with formal AI leadership and operational strategy. This is the highest figure among all regions surveyed by GTIA.
The swan song is over: Only 2 percent now see the channel losing relevance. In 2023, that figure stood at 15 percent.
Growth comes from AI and security, but operations decide: 41 percent expect both to be the top revenue categories. Whether that translates into margin depends on cost models, liability, and SLAs.

31 percent say they’re AI-driven-here’s what that means

First, the data. Then, the caveats. The GTIA State of the Channel Report examines trends, opportunities, and challenges in the IT channel. For the DACH region, it’s based on an online survey of channel experts conducted in December 2025, with 130 respondents. This isn’t a broad market analysis-it’s a snapshot from the engine room of the channel.

What does “AI-driven” actually mean? GTIA counts companies that already generate revenue with AI, have established formal AI leadership, and pursue operational strategies around AI. It’s not about a single Copilot license-it’s about AI as part of the business model, customer offerings, and internal processes. 31 percent of DACH service providers fit this description, more than in any other region surveyed.

31 percent

of IT service providers in the DACH region describe themselves as AI-driven-the highest share of all regions surveyed by GTIA.

Source: GTIA State of the Channel Report 2026

Time for a reality check. “AI-driven” is a self-assessment-and self-perception isn’t profit. A company might call itself AI-driven because it has an assistant in its Microsoft license and a slide on AI in its sales deck. The real question for every service provider is: Does your business belong to the group with real, billable AI revenue, or are you just wearing the label? That dividing line in 2026 will determine who’s seen as mature by clients-and who’s playing catch-up.

From Decline to Confidence

What’s remarkable isn’t the current state, but the shift. In 2023, 15 percent of respondents still saw the channel losing relevance. By 2026, that number drops to 2 percent. The old narrative of the IT channel being squeezed between vendors and cloud marketplaces no longer holds up in the data.

What’s changed in just two years is the complexity on the customer side. 48 percent now view the channel as relevant and stable, while 49 percent see it as relevant but in flux. Together, these figures don’t describe a defensive stance-they signal a realignment. The channel isn’t becoming obsolete because stacks, compliance, and multi-cloud environments need the very guides it provides. Relevance is back. The open question is how it pays off.

Where Growth Comes From-and Where It Stalls

On the supply side, expectations are clear. 41 percent of service providers anticipate that AI and cybersecurity services will be the top revenue drivers over the next two years. 24 percent see AI services as the biggest leap. AI is shifting from an internal efficiency topic to a portfolio staple, while security remains a steady demand area alongside it.

The catch lies in operations. 38 percent cite rising technological complexity as the key factor strengthening the channel, while 33 percent point to external pressures like economic trends, inflation, or interest rates as the biggest hurdles. Translated to the day-to-day of a system integrator: An AI service can be sold, but it also needs to be run. Who covers GPU and inference costs if the customer doesn’t factor them in? Who’s liable for faulty AI output? And what does an SLA look like when the model hallucinates? Until these questions are resolved, AI remains a revenue promise-not a profit center. Cost control in AI inference isn’t a sideshow; it’s the difference between a pilot project and a profitable service.

What this means for your portfolio

If you want to turn genuine maturity into actual revenue, you can’t just pitch a flashy AI slide. The study’s findings point to a sobering roadmap that moves an AI offering from a label to a billable service.

From label to market-ready AI service

Use-case assessment

Start with a concrete customer process instead of a generic “AI workshop,” with measurable before-and-after metrics.

Data check

Determine where customer data resides, what the model is allowed to see, and which data leaves the premises.

Operations & security

AI workloads create new attack surfaces. Monitoring and a security review belong in the same package-not bolted on as a second project.

Cost model, SLA, liability

Treat AI operating costs as a separate line item in the proposal, include an SLA that governs how overruns are handled, and clarify liability up front.

It’s less glamorous than the demo, but it’s the part that shows up on the balance sheet. The study’s lead frames the direction more diplomatically:

“Our results show that the DACH channel is no longer just watching AI-it’s increasingly using it strategically.”

Carolyn April, Vice President and Head of Research & Market Intelligence, GTIA

In day-to-day channel life, the rubber meets the road one level deeper. By 2026 the market won’t reward experimentation; it will reward an operable offering. Partners who bundle AI and security services with a robust cost model, clear SLAs, and settled liability will turn high maturity into revenue. Those who keep treating AI as a demo will stay mature in sentiment and invisible on the balance sheet. The full State of the Channel Report 2026 is available to GTIA members; media can request it via gtia.org.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “AI-driven” mean in the GTIA study?

GTIA classifies companies as AI-driven if they already generate revenue with AI, have established formal AI leadership, and pursue operational strategies centered on AI. Here, AI isn’t just a single tool-it’s embedded in the business model, customer offerings, and internal processes. This is a self-assessment, not an externally audited maturity level.

How reliable are the figures?

For the DACH region, the report is based on an online survey of 130 channel experts conducted in December 2025. It reflects sentiment within the channel, not a broad representative sample. The trends are clear, but the absolute values should be interpreted as directional indicators.

Why is the channel regaining relevance?

The share of respondents perceiving a decline in relevance has dropped from 15 percent (2023) to just 2 percent. Now, 48 percent view the channel as relevant and stable, while 49 percent see it as relevant but undergoing transformation. The driving force? Rising complexity on the customer side, which demands expert guidance.

Which services are growing fastest according to the report?

41 percent of IT service providers expect AI and cybersecurity services to be the top revenue categories over the next two years. Among these, 24 percent anticipate that AI services will see the most significant surge.

What turns an AI service into real revenue?

The key lies in operations: a cost model that accounts for AI operating expenses-like GPU and inference loads-as a distinct line item, an SLA for handling misoutputs, and a resolved liability framework. Without these foundations, AI remains a revenue promise rather than a profitable reality.