Artificial intelligence may be transforming technology, but at this year’s Canalys Americas Forum in Chicago, IL, TD SYNNEX leaders made one thing clear: true transformation in the channel starts with people.
For TD SYNNEX, that means transforming the AI conversation from potential to performance and ensuring partners have the clarity, structure, and support they need to turn innovation into outcomes.
Throughout the week in Chicago, our very own Gary Palenbaum, executive vice president of revenue and customer success, and Ed Morales, vice president, AI & high-growth strategic business development, joined panels and partner discussions exploring how distributors, vendors, and resellers can work together to make AI a practical, profitable, and trusted part of the IT ecosystem.
AI Is a Journey, Not a Jump
“Like the automobile in the 1900s, the challenge of AI is ‘where are those opportunities? Where do I begin? How do I scale?’”
– Ed Morales, TD SYNNEX, vice president, AI & high-growth strategic business development
AI may be the industry’s hottest topic, but Morales made it clear that hype alone doesn’t build outcomes.
“AI has reached its inflection point,” Morales said. “We’re past the experimentation phase. Partners aren’t asking if they should build an AI practice, but instead how to do it profitably and responsibly.”
Through programs like Destination AI™ and the AI Pioneers Program, TD SYNNEX is helping partners identify where they are on the AI maturity curve, then providing the framework, enablement, and expertise to help them scale.
“AI is a journey, not a plug-and-play solution,” Morales added. “Our goal is to give partners a clear map that combines technology with the people, skills, and services needed to make AI real.”
Partnerships Are the Foundation of Progress
Palenbaum reinforced that same message from a leadership lens: one focused on trust, relationships, and long-term value creation.
“This is still a people business,” he said during his Canalys panel on AI strategy and partnerships.
“Partners want to innovate, but they also want to feel confident that they’re investing in the right opportunities. Our role is to bring clarity not just around the ‘what’ of AI, but the ‘why’ and ‘how.’”
– Gary Palenbaum, TD SYNNEX, executive vice president of revenue and customer success
Palenbaum pointed to the evolving nature of partner conversations: a shift from product distribution to consultative collaboration.
“More and more, we’re sitting down with partners and talking about outcomes. It’s not about selling tools; it’s about helping them build solutions that solve business problems.”
– Gary Palenbaum
He added, “When you combine innovation with trust, you get momentum. That’s what we’re seeing in the market right now.”
Enabling an Ecosystem That Scales
Together, Palenbaum and Morales painted a picture of TD SYNNEX as a catalyst for innovation rather than a traditional middleman.
TD SYNNEX’s strength lies in connecting the dots across a vast global ecosystem of vendors, hyperscalers, and partners. Morales highlighted how the company’s integrated approach helps partners test, learn, and evolve at scale.
“We’re creating a space where partners can test, learn, and evolve,” Morales shared.
“From the hyperscalers to the ISVs, our vendor partnerships allow us to integrate every layer of the AI stack, from data and security to infrastructure and cloud, so partners can build complete and scalable solutions.”
– Ed Morales
That multi-layered approach gives partners confidence to move quickly, backed by the right mix of technical resources, financial tools, and trusted expertise.
Palenbaum echoed that, noting that the company’s global reach allows it to take lessons from across regions and apply them in local markets.
“Whether it’s an SMB exploring automation or a large enterprise looking at generative AI, the opportunity lies in being the partner that can connect all those pieces. That’s the advantage we deliver.”
– Gary Palenbaum
Morales noted that the next wave of success in AI will come from execution, not from hype.
“The partners who will lead in this next chapter are the ones who combine technical expertise with creativity, curiosity, and empathy,” he said. “AI doesn’t eliminate the human element; it amplifies it.”
– Ed Morales
From Forum to Future
As the Canalys Forum wrapped, both leaders left attendees with a shared takeaway: AI isn’t replacing the channel; it’s redefining it.
“The real power of AI isn’t in the algorithms; it’s in how people apply them. That’s why partnership, enablement, and trust will always be at the center of innovation.”
– Ed Morales
Palenbaum closed with a simple but powerful observation:
“When you look at success stories across our ecosystem, they all begin with people. People who listen, adapt, and build together. That’s what partnership looks like in the age of AI.”
– Gary Palenbaum
For TD SYNNEX, that philosophy continues to define how the company shows up across the channel, helping partners navigate new technologies, seize opportunity, and grow with confidence.
See the highlights from their sessions below:
For TD SYNNEX, that future is already in motion and it’s built on partnership, powered by enablement, and guided by purpose through initiatives like PartnerFirst, which continues to strengthen collaboration, accelerate partner success, and make growth more accessible across the channel.
About the Canalys Forum
As part of the global Canalys Forums (now under Omdia) the Americas edition brought together the world’s leading vendors, distributors, and partners to explore how technology, strategy, and human ingenuity will shape the channel’s next decade.
