Artificial intelligence (AI), especially GenAI, is everywhere and has impacted every aspect of our personal and professional lives. With so much discussion surrounding it, and a sense that you may be left behind, many businesses are experiencing AI fatigue.
According to the latest TD SYNNEX Direction of Technology Report, 78% of organizations are exploring or implementing AI solutions, yet 62% report challenges in identifying practical applications amidst the hype.
So, how can companies move from being overwhelmed by AI to making it work for them? We sat down with Ed Morales, Vice President of AI and Digital Transformation at TD SYNNEX, to discuss how we’re helping partners, and the larger technology industry, navigate the AI landscape and turn innovation into tangible business outcomes.
Q: Many businesses are feeling AI fatigue. What’s causing this, and how does it impact decision-making?
Ed Morales: Everywhere you look, AI is being marketed as the next big thing, making it difficult for businesses to differentiate between hype and practical applications. The sheer volume of information creates fatigue, as partners struggle to identify what’s relevant and how it fits into their strategies.
I compare it to being on a hike without a map—wandering aimlessly is exhausting. Our goal is to help partners cut through the noise by providing a clear path forward, focusing on AI solutions that are truly impactful and aligned with business needs.
Q: How is TD SYNNEX helping partners move beyond AI fatigue to real adoption?
Ed Morales: Our focus is on demystifying AI by making it accessible and practical. One of the key distinctions we help our partners understand is the difference between AI-enabled and AI-powered solutions.
AI-enabled technologies enhance existing capabilities, such as improving efficiency in productivity tools or strengthening cybersecurity. AI-powered solutions, on the other hand, drive completely new business models and outcomes. By aligning our partners with the right solutions for their level of AI maturity, we provide structured on-ramps that make AI adoption more manageable and actionable.
Q: Can the IT ecosystem transition from AI fatigue to excitement about AI’s tangible impact?
Ed Morales: AI is often treated as just another product sale, but it’s much more than that—it’s a fundamental shift in how businesses operate. Instead of asking “What is AI?” we need to ask “How does AI improve productivity, reduce costs, and optimize operations?”
Take Microsoft Copilot, for example. Our approach wasn’t to sell it as another software tool, but to help partners understand how AI can transform workflows by automating document creation, analyzing data, and improving collaboration. Shifting the conversation from AI as a product to AI as a business transformation tool is key to driving adoption.
Q: TD SYNNEX has created Destination AI to guide partners through AI adoption. Can you explain how it works?
Ed Morales: Destination AI™ our structured framework designed to help partners progress in their AI journey. We’ve categorized partners into three tiers:
- Aware Partners – Businesses that have a foundational understanding of AI but haven’t made significant investments. They are looking for low-risk, high-return opportunities.
- AI-Ready Partners – Those that have begun adopting AI and want to refine their offerings to improve efficiency and optimize workflows.
- AI-Expert Partners – Advanced partners developing custom AI solutions and leading high-end AI implementations.
By identifying where a partner stands, we tailor AI solutions and enablement programs to fit their needs, helping them move up the AI maturity curve in a structured way.
Q: How do AI-enabled tools answer the fundamental ‘how does this help us?’ question for businesses?
Ed Morales: AI isn’t just a feature—it’s a business accelerator. AI-enabled tools like Microsoft Copilot drastically improve productivity by analyzing and organizing data faster than traditional methods. In cybersecurity, AI-enabled solutions automate threat detection, phishing prevention, and breach mitigation, giving businesses an added layer of protection.
What’s most exciting is how AI is making high-value functions more accessible, allowing partners to deploy sophisticated solutions without needing deep technical expertise. AI is no longer just a “nice-to-have,” it’s a necessity.
Q: AI is increasingly integrated with cloud and security. How is TD SYNNEX helping partners bridge these areas?
Ed Morales: The intersection of AI, cloud, and security is where we see significant value being created. AI-powered security solutions now proactively detect and mitigate cyber threats, while AI-driven cloud management optimizes infrastructure performance.
Our role at TD SYNNEX is to curate the best AI solutions across these categories and provide structured training so that partners can confidently integrate AI into their portfolios. We ensure partners have access to the right technology stacks and understand how to position them effectively.
Q: You’ve mentioned AI’s role in democratization. How does AI enable broader technology adoption?
Ed Morales: AI was once limited to high-end applications, but that’s no longer the case. Just as early internet browsers made the web accessible to the masses, AI assistants like ChatGPT have introduced businesses of all sizes to AI’s potential.
Now, AI is embedded into everyday business functions—email security, storage optimization, and workflow automation—making adoption seamless. The more AI becomes a standard business tool, the easier it will be for organizations to integrate it into their operations.
Q: What strategies does TD SYNNEX use to support partners entering AI?
Ed Morales: We developed Destination AI™ to ensure consistency across AI adoption strategies, regardless of industry or business size. AI in security, cloud, and analytics follows the same enablement structure, making it easier for partners to deploy AI-driven solutions.
Our approach assesses partners, aligns them with the right AI technologies, and provides ongoing support as they evolve from early adoption to advanced implementation. The goal is to break down barriers and make AI a natural extension of existing solutions.
Q: Can you share an example of how partners are benefiting from TD SYNNEX’s AI programs?
Ed Morales: AI Accelerator is one of our most successful initiatives. It’s an intensive eight-week program where we train partners on AI sales strategies. Vendors nominate partners, and we guide them through a structured process, including workshops and hands-on training.
Each partner brings a “lighthouse account”—a real customer opportunity—so we can help them develop tangible sales pipeline and revenue. The result is partners who are more confident, better equipped, and ready to sell AI solutions as true business transformation tools.
Q: Looking ahead, what AI trends will shape the industry in the next year?
Ed Morales: AI adoption will continue accelerating, with deeper integration into IT infrastructure. The convergence of AI with cloud computing, cybersecurity, and business intelligence will drive new opportunities for partners.
AI infrastructure, particularly GPU-powered processing, will expand, enabling businesses to scale AI workloads efficiently. At TD SYNNEX, we’re focused on ensuring our partners have the resources, tools, and knowledge to stay ahead of these trends and maximize AI’s potential.
AI solutions are here to stay. In fact, the Direction of Technology Report highlighted that 45% of technology leaders identify AI as a key area for specialization, highlighting its growing importance in the industry.
As AI continues to evolve, TD SYNNEX is at the forefront, helping partners move beyond the hype to real-world business impact.
