The AI Revolution Reshapes IT Strategy: TD SYNNEX Report Reveals What Partners Must Do to Win in 2025

The technology industry is at an inflection point. A new comprehensive analysis of the global IT ecosystem reveals that artificial intelligence, coupled with specialized services and resilient cybersecurity frameworks, has become the defining factor separating market leaders from the rest. The findings come from TD SYNNEX’s latest annual Direction of Technology research, which surveyed more than 1,400 IT solution providers and resellers across 40 countries to decode the forces reshaping the sector.

Six Pillars Driving the Next Growth Wave

AI: No Longer Optional, Now Mandatory

The data is unequivocal: nearly 75% of IT partners view AI adoption as essential to their competitive future. But raw AI implementation isn’t enough. Partners are racing to develop sophisticated use cases—58.4% are prioritizing AI-powered cybersecurity solutions, while 54.3% are embedding AI into automation workflows. These aren’t theoretical advantages; they directly impact revenue and client retention. The question for partners is no longer “Should we invest in AI?” but rather “How do we deploy AI to deliver tangible business outcomes?”

Cybersecurity: The Eternal Battleground

Eight out of 10 IT partners now offer at least one cybersecurity solution, underscoring security’s role as table stakes in the modern ecosystem. Yet threat landscapes are intensifying. Emerging AI-driven attacks concern 49.2% of partners, while 41.9% cite data breaches as a persistent headache. Despite being a core offering, cybersecurity has paradoxically become the fastest-growing segment for endpoint solutions over the past two years—signaling both opportunity and urgency. Partners rank advanced endpoint security as their second-highest priority for new service launches in the coming year.

Specialization Over Size

Market research reveals a striking consumer preference: industry expertise and consultation rank as the #1 factor end customers evaluate when choosing a partner. Generic solutions are losing appeal; tailored expertise is winning. This preference is prompting systemic changes across the partner ecosystem. Ninety percent of partners plan to expand support and maintenance services. Eighty-eight percent are building custom IT integration capabilities. Eighty-two percent intend to scale managed services offerings. The message is clear: the future belongs to specialists, not generalists.

Talent Shortages Force Operating Model Reinvention

A critical constraint has emerged: nearly 70% of IT leaders report talent scarcity directly hampering their ability to execute on AI (43%), data & analytics (41%), and cybersecurity (39%) initiatives. This isn’t a peripheral HR challenge—it’s a strategic bottleneck. Forward-thinking partners are responding by redesigning workflows, automating routine tasks, and restructuring teams to extract maximum efficiency from available talent. Those who crack this puzzle will unlock competitive advantage in an increasingly AI-driven market.

Growth Persists Despite Economic Headwinds

Global macroeconomic uncertainty hasn’t derailed IT expansion. Sixty-six percent of surveyed partners report revenue increases, suggesting that companies combining strategic vision with operational agility are capturing disproportionate gains. The implication: market conditions favor the disciplined and adaptive.

Service-Led Models and Balanced Portfolios Win

Two partner archetypes are pulling ahead: Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) and Professional Services firms. Both are outperforming peers according to TD SYNNEX’s newly introduced Net Growth Index—a metric tracking revenue trajectory and market momentum. Their secret? Balanced portfolios blending high-growth capabilities like AI and data analytics with established core offerings. This “explore and exploit” approach mitigates risk while capturing emerging opportunities.

New Measurement Tools for an Evolving Market

TD SYNNEX has introduced two new indices to track partner performance and sentiment:

The Net Growth Index measures actual revenue momentum and market share gains, providing a baseline of 100 with scores above indicating expansion and scores below reflecting stagnation. The Net Optimism Index captures partner sentiment and forward confidence, using the same 100-point baseline. Together, these metrics enable year-over-year comparison of partner ecosystem health across geographies and business model types.

What This Means for the Broader Ecosystem

According to Jill Kermes, Corporate Vice President of Global Corporate Communications and Citizenship at TD SYNNEX: “The next growth cycle will reward those who reimagine business models, harness AI capabilities, deepen service offerings, and build genuine specialization into their operations.” The report underscores this thesis: companies that treat AI, services, and specialization as interconnected pillars—rather than isolated initiatives—will shape industry trajectories over the next three to five years.

The Takeaway

The Direction of Technology Report paints a picture of an IT industry in productive tension. Macroeconomic constraints are real, but so are the opportunities for those who move decisively. AI adoption has transitioned from “competitive advantage” to “baseline requirement.” Cybersecurity remains both an entry fee and a growth engine. Specialization beats scale. And service-led business models, backed by strong operational execution, are defining the next generation of winners.

For IT partners, resellers, and solution providers, the message is not complex: invest in AI capabilities, fortify security architectures, develop deep industry expertise, and restructure talent utilization to unlock growth in 2025 and beyond. The TD SYNNEX research, compiled from insights across 40 countries and multiple partner segments, suggests the firms that execute on these fronts will outpace competitors in what promises to be a transformative year for technology.