2025 was an exciting year in the channel. The cloud space saw massive growth, security remained a major focus, and AI continued to revolutionize everything.
Bryce Parker and Katelyn Brock (from the Intelisys Field Support Engineering team) discussed all of that and more on a recent SE webinar.
They also shared predictions for 2026. Where are organizations investing their IT budgets? How can Sales Partners capitalize on common mobility needs? And what will AI transform next? We pulled insights from Intelisys engineers to answer these and other questions.
Our experts give you a snapshot of where things stand in key product categories. The goal? Unlock even more sales opportunities as we head into the new year.
2025 Overview: AI Point Solutions and Microsoft Teams
As predicted, AI was everywhere in 2025. In particular, enterprise and mid-market customers took a larger interest in AI point solutions, adding standalone solutions to their existing telephony platforms.
That said, AI adoption wasn’t as robust as expected in the SMB (Small and Medium-Sized Business) space. VMware shifts in the cloud space were also less common than predicted.
Another notable trend was the continued dominance of Microsoft Teams in the voice solutions and UCaaS space. Meanwhile, amid an evolving threat landscape, cybersecurity insurance has become a must–have for organizations across industries.
Trends and Predictions by Product Category
In their discussion, Bryce and Katelyn went from one product category to another, sharing 2025 trends and 2026 predictions for each of them. We’ve recapped those insights below.
CX
Top Trends From 2025
Over the past year, an increasing number of businesses have incorporated AI technology into their Contact Center (CC) systems. As a result, the CC growth rate increased by 4.3%. Meanwhile, the Unified Communications (UC) growth rate dropped by 1.6% – but that’s only because most solutions now include contact center features, and therefore all into the CC category.
As noted by Michael Del Signore, Intelisys National Contact Center Specialist, AI has become standard in CX. Organizations are moving beyond simple chatbots to integrate hyper-personalization into their CC systems. For Sales Partners, this suggests offering an AI readiness assessment as an important first step when discussing CC with customers.
Predictions for 2026
Heather Kurzenski, the Director of CX at Intelisys, expects organizations of all sizes to invest more heavily in point solutions. So far, enterprises have led the way – but SMBs could soon join in, especially if price points come down.
Increased specialization and customization should also continue to transform the CX space. For example, it will become standard for AI systems to provide copilot features for contact center workers.
Cloud
Top Trends From 2025
2025 was a banner year in the cloud space, with Intelisys’s cloud suppliers reporting 89% YoY growth in billing.
In the midst of this progress, Intelisys National Cloud Specialist Mike Davis noted a worrying trend: vulnerability to disaster. Remember when AWS and Azure experienced major outages just weeks apart? In response, organizations need to develop a stringent backup plan.
Businesses are also increasing their interest in using AI in the cloud – and interestingly, it’s often units other than IT that are reaching out. That means you should prepare to speak with stakeholders from across organizations.
Predictions for 2026
Bhu Virdi, Intelisys Cloud Program Director, foresees increased attention on Disaster Recovery (DR) in the year ahead. Consider using the past year’s outages as a conversation starter.
The AI boom also provides unique opportunities, like GPUaaS (GPU as a Service), that could unlock cost savings for businesses.
Finally, expect the VMware shifts to gain momentum. In 2025, those shifts didn’t happen as much as we’d expected – but 2026 could bring new dynamics, especially as organizations adopt a “proactive” cloud mindset.
Mobility
Top Trends From 2025
Our data show that 2025 brought a 16% increase in the growth rate for Internet of Things (IoT) solutions. But that’s not the only big story in the mobility space. Our National Wireless and IoT Specialist Jamal Purvis also saw more organizations adopting wireless connectivity with 5G providers. Why are they doing this? In part, it’s to provide essential wireless backup and ensure connectivity.
We’re also seeing a lot of interest in Managed Mobility Services as organizations seek lower costs and greater control over their mobile assets.
Predictions for 2026
According to Chris Whitaker, the Intelisys Wireless and IoT Programs Director, AI-enhanced security cameras are likely to become even more popular in 2026. Energy IoT is another area of likely growth, with organizations looking to combat rising energy prices.
The next year should also present opportunities in payment processing. Today’s AI-enhanced solutions do a lot more than just process credit card payments. They also conduct complex analytics, giving businesses valuable insights into their customers’ spending habits.
Security
Top Trends From 2025
Unsurprisingly given the ongoing threats, 2025 was a big year for security – an area that saw 10.1% YoY growth. According to our National Security Specialist Bryan Nelson, compliance remains a major focus, with organizations struggling to meet regulatory frameworks like FedRAMP, PCI, and HIPAA.
Businesses are also seeing their employees use unapproved applications or devices, which puts sensitive data at risk. You can suggest addressing the issue with “Shadow IT” and data loss prevention solutions.
Meanwhile, penetration tests remain as necessary as ever. Advise stakeholders that it’s best to change testers every year.
Predictions for 2026
According to National Security Specialist Brian Bonebrake, we can expect a $42 billion cybersecurity market in 2026. Remarkably, managed services should account for 10% of that total. Why such a high percentage? Because countless organizations want day-to-day assistance securing their digital assets.
In 2026, you might also encounter organizations desperate to “plug holes” in their security infrastructure. As a Sales Partner, it’s often best to help fill the gap in question– in password management, for example – and then, once trust has been established, address larger security issues.
Future Tech to Watch Out For
With AI continuing to change the world, everyone in the channel should stay on top of the latest developments. Here are three exciting breakthroughs that, even if you’re not selling them now, you might soon add to your repertoire:
- AI for Fraud Reduction. Today’s generative AI systems can identify patterns in bank accounts and other financial statements, and then spot disruptions of those patterns to detect potential fraud.
- Digital Try-On. E-commerce sites can now invite customers to upload photos of themselves, and then use AI to show how different articles of clothing would fit.
- Healthcare Interventions. AI systems can monitor patients in healthcare settings and ensure that medications are being administered properly.
These solutions are just starting to hit the market, but 2026 could bring considerable growth.
Find More Resources on Intelisys University
For more details about each of these trends and predictions, watch the complete webinar.
Also, don’t hesitate to contact our engineering team, including the experts named above. Have a follow-up question about one of these technologies? Need help with a particular customer? Ask away! That’s what our team is there for.
And don’t forget to access the many wonderful resources on Intelisys University: Learning.